What's in a Memory?
by dark shadowed rose
Summary: Gourry was always quiet about his past, but finding out this way was not what Lina expected. It's been said before things left unfinished come back to haunt you. Teen for swearing and violence, Gourry/Lina pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**What's in a Memory?**

**Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it until it was on instant play, on Netflick. So it's not mine.**

**Chapter One**

Lina looked over at her long time companion Gourry; it was strange to think she and the idiot had not only survived the last four years, but they were still together. Not that they were dating, but more and more she found herself wondering what it would be like to kiss him; she sometimes thought that was what he and she had forgotten when she'd been possessed by the Golden Lord, but she also was afraid to remember what happened. Phibrizzo had been killed, freeing her friends, but she didn't know much beyond that they had told her, that when they came to her body had been glowing gold and she had started to ascend and blasted all but Gourry away. They didn't know more and that was when Gourry said he stopped remembering. Of course, between being a jellyfish brain and the fact he didn't remember coming after them under Phibrizzo's control, that didn't mean much.

Of course, for all she knew he did remember and just didn't want to tell her; later Amelia had told her what the Golden Lord had said about why the Giga Slave didn't destroy the world. It had been like for a moment she entered a contract with the Golden Lord, anything in return for Gourry's survival.

She supposed that was another reason she was afraid to take the next step with Gourry; if she would do that for him now, what would she do later?

She had seen far too many sorcerers and sorceresses turn to monsters for things like loved ones. If she did, she already knew what her power could bring back.

"Hey Lina, I think I see the town!"

Breaking free of her thoughts, she looked ahead and agreed, they were almost to the town. "Race you to the nearest inn!" She took off running; she could have used gray wing but that would have been cheating. Laughing as Gourry shouted that she was cheating by taking a head start, she pushed herself faster, he was going to pay this time.

Reaching the inn first, she did her normal look through checking for anyone to avoid, anyone to approach, anything unusual. Today it was the six men wearing hoods at the back of the room; they didn't seem to be looking for trouble so she sat herself at a table just in time for Gourry to come through the door.

He slumped over to the table and sat in a chair. "I never should have called you a slowpoke."

She grinned- and then frowned: that had been almost a week ago, how... no, why did he still remember that? That was highly unusual. "Well, now that you have admitted you are wrong, you only have to pay for lunch and then we'll be back to competing for who eats the fastest."

Gourry pouted at her, but gave in. "I hope you know who will be back to winning again."

"I don't know what you mean, I'll still be winning." She grinned at him.

He scowled at her. "Keep telling yourself that."

She laughed, but inside she was just a little worried; Gourry had been acting just a little strange the last few days. First his memory had been unusually good the last week, and then he had been acting more and more serious; she wondered if something had happened in his past here in Kal-maart, something before they met. For as long as they'd traveled together she knew next to nothing about him; he had a brother and a grandmother and his family had fought about the sword, that was all. Literally.

The waiter walked up; ignoring the semi stander greeting she glanced over the menu and ordered, "Five of this, three of that and one of that and that."

The waiter wrote it down, and Gourry tossed his menu to her. "What she said. Oh wait, and one of this." he said, pointing at something going by, probably the apple and cherry cream pie.

The stunned boy nodded and walked back to the kitchen. Watching the room, she noted it was almost empty: a couple of locals, the six to their far left, a couple on a date, and them. Two waiters, one bartender, and what sounded like two cooks back in the kitchen.

Gourry leaned forward, and in a would-be normal tone said. "Those six are bothering you too, huh?"

She shrugged; she wasn't surprised anymore by how well Gourry read her. She could say she did the same thing, not that she tried, it was easy. But after being together so long it wasn't surprising, the surprising thing was that it had been like this since the beginning. "They don't fit here with their hoods up, swords, armor... heavy armor." She corrected herself before he noted the obvious fact that he was wearing armor too.

He nodded. "They do seem to be up to something."

Seeing the hood over the head of the guy probably in charge (judging by the way he was sitting within the group) turning their way, she changed the conversation. "What do you think Zel and Amelia are doing?"

Gourry blinked at her cluelessly. She sighed, "_Zel_? Amelia? Chimera and princess?"

He was frowning thoughtfully now. "Is Zel the guy who's always saying it's a secret?"

She slumped; his memory was terrible, she didn't know why she still tried. "No, the guy who's part rock golem, and a sorcerer like me."

"Oh... Him. Don't remember him."

She sighed, and slumped back into her chair. "How about Amelia? Miss Justice?"

He was looking up at the ceiling now, almost spaced out. "You know that does sound familiar."

"It should you've known her for almost four years now."

He looked at her disbelievingly. "You're right, you would think I would know this by now. Wait... If we've known her for almost four years now, that means I've known you for at least four years now."

It was her turn to stare disbelievingly; that was sharp of him to catch on. "Yeah. That's right."

The servers interrupted and stopped her from asking him something stupid like what was wrong with him, that he was acting smart... for him and she was worried. Digging in, she found herself thinking she would have to remember this place because this was really really good. Half-way through her third plate she had to stop and call back to the cooks, "This is really really good!"

Gourry mumbled something in agreement from beside her but she didn't bother answering him, she was on her fourth already and couldn't wait to reach her fifth. Somewhere around the end of her fifth plate and start of her sixth she noticed the six men in the corner talking softly, seeming intent about something. Judging by the fact the shadowed openings of the hoods were moving towards their table she was guessing she and Gourry were being talked about, but as long as they let her finish eating before starting trouble she didn't mind much.

Around her eighth plate she noted that the guys seemed to be focusing more on Gourry and that he was uncomfortable with their attention. Now that it was clear they were going to approach them, she ate faster in case it became a fight- no need to waste good food just because she didn't eat fast enough. She and Gourry were hell on furniture during a skirmish.

Finishing up, she looked up in time for the supposed leader to stand; a swift glace at Gourry told her he was two bites away from being done, so taking the last couple of seconds to make sure her face was clean, and shifted her body to a more feminine and alluring posture. She watched the man walk across the room; it was amusing to watch the rest of the patrons, they all seemed to sense trouble.

Gourry shifted until he could leap up at split second warning; glad both of them were so in tune they didn't have to say a word, she smirked at the hooded man walking towards them. He seemed proud, probably a skilled swordsmen... and likely noble, that armor was too nice for him to be anything less. If anything, odds were good he was a prince. It was too bad Phil had destroyed any faith she had in handsome, noble princes.

The man paused in front of them only a foot or two away. "Are you the man calling yourself Gourry Gabriev?" he said in a voice that reminded her of someone.

Gourry's face assumed his normal, puzzled look. "Yes."

The strangely familiar voice went on, "Then I must challenge you to a duel."

Gourry frowned; clearly he didn't understand the connection between the two, and to be honest Lina also felt like she only had half the picture: because Gourry was using his name, this man had to fight him? At least Gourry had a new blade this time, something they had found raiding a treasure trove that had been missing for the last two hundred and fifty years. Lots of good stuff there...

Treasure later, Gourry is fighting someone that I think I should know now.

"Why? I don't have a problem with you."

"I can fight you outside, or in here." The man warned, his hand drifting to his hip where his light hand-and-a-half blade rested.

Gourry glanced at her for a split second before shrugging. "Outside. Then we won't have to pay damages."

Gourry stood and followed the man outside; she noticed the man's companions standing to go outside and watch, so she rose as well to follow- only to realize someone had to pay before she could go outside. Grumbling, she dropped a gem and a couple gold coins, figuring that would cover it. Stepping outside, she was surprised: Gourry was having to work in this fight, the man wasn't better per se as more motivated, he was throwing his all into it, but he didn't want to kill Gourry, that much was clear.

Her sword master would have loved to be here to watch this fight; the skills of both were incredible, Gourry was putting more force behind his strikes but the other was fast and clearly used to stronger opponents.

Watching the blades gleam in the dimming sunlight, she knew Gourry was better, but this man matched Zangulus closely in skill even though his sword seemed normal... Gourry scored a small scratch on the man's arm under the edge of his left gauntlet, where leather was stitched in between the metal pieces. The man laughed and stopped attacking; Gourry waited, still confused as to what was happening.

"You haven't changed. Still the best swordsman in the family."

The pieces clicked into place for her, but she didn't open her mouth to tell Gourry who this man, probably Gourry's brother, was.

"But I still can win."

Watching his movements, she realized he was casting a spell. Without thinking she stepped forward; one of the five men moved to stop her but she slipped by him. "Windy shield."

The low-level-Flare-Arrow dissipated.

Gourry behind her spoke up, "I'm still confused, who are you again?"

She sighed. It wasn't a surprise he didn't realize this was his brother he was fighting, as the man still had his hood up, but it explained why she thought his voice sounded familiar. It sounded like Gourry's... only a notch higher? She wasn't sure, it just was a bit different.

There was a confused laugh, and the man knocked his hood off: For a split second she was blown away, this man was very-very handsome, and he looked a lot like Gourry but younger, with the same blonde hair, although his eyes were a shade lighter, his hair was ponytailed, and his body was less built. He still was fit but he didn't spend all his time fighting the way Gourry did, and it showed.

"What's wrong with you? It's me."

Gourry was thinking so loudly she could almost hear it.

"Sel?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with you, you would always know who you were fighting."

Lina thought about it; he did seem to remember fighting styles, he recognized Zangulus by his sword style rather than his face the first few times they had fought, though the cloak and dumb hat were something of a giveaway. He had no memory for people, their talk in the bar told her that much. And his brother Sel seemed concerned about something.

Gourry stepped up beside her, his sword's flat resting on his shoulder. "Don't know what you mean, it's been a while. You grew up, last I remember you were a skinny little weed."

His brother was younger? She could have sworn the brother he mentioned was older.

His brother was out-and-out frowning now. "You've changed a lot."

Gourry shrugged. "I wouldn't know if I had. So why are you here now looking for me?"

His brother still looked confused but answered, "Using great-great-grandpa's name threw Gerard's men off, they came back after a year of searching. But when Callie said she wouldn't get married without her last brother, I asked to be allowed to come find you."

Lina found herself blinking. Gourry had a sister? And who was Gerard? And 'great-great-grandpa's name'? Did that mean Gabriev wasn't his last name? "Excuse me, who are you?"

"Gourry's brother."

That tone and slight sneer told he was a noble, but Gourry never did anything like that. "No, I mean your full name, brat."

Sel's men, probably guardsmen shifted unhappy with her tone, but Gourry didn't react. Sel, however, drew himself up proudly and announced; "My full name is Prince Selvin Brittany Galfaires La-fay."

She groaned. Gourry was a prince? At full numbers, half her group was royalty? La-fay? The ruling family of Elmekia? Gourry might have just undid all the hard work Prince Phil had done smashing fairytale princes to bits, because all in all he looked awfully good for a fairytale prince: throne in the family, a strong fighter, rushing to save a girl in distress. All of it true. Mentally shoving that thought from her head, she said. "And your sister?"

"Princess Calfy Sarae Anne La-fay."

She groaned again; this time she did something with her annoyance, and punched Gourry in the arm. He yelped, and she started in on him, "And you haven't told me about this up till now because?!"

He was still grimacing from her punch. "Because I don't remember thinking it was important?"

Now she really groaned, although it was more of a moan of embarrassment; he hadn't told her that time when she was hoping to see Prince Phil on the road, even though that might have been a good time to mention it. She punched his arm again, drawing protest from one of the guardsmen, "You can't treat..."

She turned, well aware that she had a nasty gleam in her eyes, which told him he had just offered to be her victim. "I can't beat the man I've traveled with for years, because...?"

Gourry spoke up from behind her, "You really shouldn't say anything right now. She's just mad she didn't know."

Angry, she turned around and half-threateningly started "One who is darker than twilight, one who is..."

Gourry groaned and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Hush, you can yell all you want later, but right now I need to decide if I'm going home."

Selvin spoke up, "The question you should be asking is wether you have a choice."

Gourry looked confused for a second and then said, "The way I see it I always have a choice."

Selvin looked desperately upset now, "What is wrong with you? Why are you acting like an idiot?"

Lina moved Gourry's hand and spoke up, "I don't know what you're talking about, Gourry's always been a little odd."

The sharp blue eyes turned her way. "You're a sorceress... My brother Prince Gourry Dirk Thurman La-fay has been many things, the best swordsman in the family to Gerard's dismay, the best horseman in the royal family, the best tactician, but odd is not something that has applied to him before."

She was impressed with this listing but it didn't fit with the Gourry she knew. Best swordsman... she'd give him that. He had an amazing ability to predict the enemy's next move in a fight; it was instinct, but actually planning it out... he normally forgot the first half of the plan by the time you got to the end of it. And, coming to think of it she'd never seen him ride a horse before. "I have no clue what you're talking about. Gourry has the brains of a jellyfish."

Gourry sighed beside her, but didn't say anything other than a mumble what she thought might have been '...favorite way...insult...' -and if his full sentence had been 'her second favorite way to insult me' he'd have been right, since it was. But he did have pudding for brains and the planing skills of an insect.

"My brother has been one of the smartest people I have ever met."

She couldn't help it, she snorted, "I'm sorry, you must have the wrong Gourry. Don't get me wrong, he's the best swordsman I've ever seen, and the best travel companion I've ever had, and my best friend but the smartest... no."

The prince smirked at her, "You must be a powerful sorceress."

She couldn't help it, she preened, "Is it that obvious?"

The young prince's smirk widened, "No, but you have to be, to have erased my brother's good memory, and to have enchanted him so strongly."

She was totally taken aback. Enchant Gourry? No. Never. The prince waved his hand and the five others moved in as if to grab her. As surprised as she was with the charges, she did love a good fight. Gourry stepped in front of her as if to protect both her and the guardsmen. She pouted at his back but let him speak.

"I think you have the wrong idea, Sel. Lina enchanting someone? That's laughable. I chose to protect her, and we met by random chance."

Gourry's brother seemingly dismissed most of what he said. "If she's managed to change you this much, how do you know that memory's even true? Besides, I have to ask, where is the sword of light?"

Gourry laughed and started playing with his hair, a sure sign he didn't remember exactly how he lost it again. He'd had that problem before, like when she told him to look at all the swords in their big find two months ago. He'd been confused for a second before agreeing. But this blade so far had lasted far longer than the ones before; even the fake Sword of Light didn't hold up too well. "Sirius, remember?"

Gourry blinked and then laughed, "Oh yeah, he took it and all the other weapons with him."

She sighed; he normally was better about remembering the Sword of Light, but she supposed he had been thinking of his family memories more at the moment with his little brother showing up and all.

"That doesn't prove anything. The fact she had to prompt you only tells me she has more control over you then you think, brother."

Gourry sighed. "We have been traveling together for four or so years now, and taking into account the things we have fought and won against together, it only makes sense we depend on each other."

His younger brother stubbornly stuck to his story. "She has enchanted you. You have two choices come quietly or be unconscious the whole time home."

Gourry looked at her, she shrugged; he then turned back to his brother, "You're not going to do anything stupid and try to chain her up or anything, right?"

"Of course not." His brother smiled. She didn't believe him at all.

Gourry warned his brother once more, "We'll come with you, but we're just going back for Callie's wedding. I won't regret giving the Sword of Light back, and I won't get into any arguments about duty. And really, don't try to bring Lina in as a prisoner, you do that and I can't promise the country will be standing at the end of it."

Sel smiled wider. "Of course not. If she enchanted you she has to be strong."

She and Gourry sighed together, Lina had to admit, his brother's belief that he wasn't himself had her questioning a few things. Was Gourry really under a spell? If so, it seemed more likely it was a curse or something a witch would cast, not a sorceress. If it was to attack his mind, it was probably because they, the caster didn't want him to remember something. He didn't know what a fiance was... why would he need to forget the word and everything that had to do with it? She had a sinking feeling this new adventure into Gourry's past was going to be everything except painless.

Her worried and slightly paranoid thoughts proved true when, in a flash, one the of the five so far faceless bodyguards slapped some handcuffs on her. Gourry protested and found himself cuffed as well. Lightly testing hers, she found she could break free easily but figured now wasn't the time. Gourry took his cue from her, he pouted at his brother and said, "I don't agree with how you define not stupid."

Allowing one of the faceless guards to lead her and Gourry deeper into town, she commented, "Your brother reminds me of a certain special investigator."

Gourry blinked at her cluelessly. "Who?"

Stifling a groan, she couldn't help but think if their friends could see them now they wouldn't be able to stop laughing. Accused of enchanting Gourry and captured by six men, without a fight. How embarrassing. Plodding along with the guards following Gourry's brother, she found the need to distract herself so she didn't get angrier. She was pissed that Gourry hadn't told her, but the idea of him being cursed piqued her curiosity. A prince in disguise, a cursed prince at that... the noblest of idiots... it was something from a story. But so far it fit with their adventures. She could resist a Fireball or two for a while as long as she got some questions answered.

"So, Gourry, now that we're on our way to your home, want to tell me about the folks?"

Gourry glanced sideways at her. "You're taking this really well."

Anger surging, she spat out with a growl, "Start talking."

His eyes widened in alarm. "Okay-okay, give me a second." His face smoothed back out into the serious expression he had been wearing before she spoke up. She knew he was at least thinking about it.

"I have two older brothers, Crown Prince Alberich, and the leader of the Royal Army, Prince Gerard. As second brother Gerard always knew he'd be put in charge of the army so he didn't like how I quickly surpassed him in swordsmanship. Me and him fought a lot because of it. My sister is also older, Princess Calfy. We were pretty close, I suppose, considering she's older and a girl, but she was willing to play with me whenever we escaped from lessons. Sel is my younger brother, far younger than the rest of us, hell, he's younger than you I think. Al is thirty-three, Gerard is thirty-one, Callie twenty-eight... me at twenty-six, then Sel at eighteen."

Lina nodded, she _was_ older then Selvin. Not quite a year she was guessing but older enough.

Gourry's expression became distant. "I don't remember father much, he died when I was ten, Sel probably doesn't remember him at all. Our uncle took the throne to rule in Al's stead till he was old enough; that was when arguments about the sword started, who should wield it? Our uncle, the regent? Should my eldest brother take it up? My second eldest brother, who was soon to be captain in the army? It was a quiet argument for a few years, then Al turned twenty while I was thirteen, and the arguments weren't so quiet anymore. My uncle wanted to rule a little longer, let Al marry and have an heir before he took on the full weight and responsibilities of being king. The sword was brought into it again, but now my name was mixed up in it; as the best swordsman in the family some thought I should become a symbol, a lone knight with the sword to be a... I thought it was stupid then and I still think that. Since I was the third son I had no obvious duty, I wasn't to be a leader in the army, not to be anything, it was also clear I wasn't cut out to join the clergy, and I wasn't sorcerer. They didn't know what to do with me."

Gourry heaved a sigh; the men around them were clearly listening to their prince's point of view, his brother had slowed down too, so he was probably listening as well.

"That went on for a few more years. Al married, Gerard did the same, last I knew Al had just had a daughter, not an heir but a child so uncle stepped aside. But they still were fighting about the sword, and Grandma's words weren't able to keep me out of it anymore, so at eighteen I was being pushed to be a champion for the kingdom. Gerard hated me for it, he thought as commander of the army he should have that title. He hated how I was the most admired prince of the family. Sel and I did our best to stay out of most of it, but soon I was just doing my best to protect him. Al was trying to marry Callie off and he and mother were talking about doing the same to me. Fighting about who should wear the sword was growing to an all time high, there were threats being made, and about the time I turned twenty I took the sword and left."

Gourry smiled at her, but she could see how the memories upset him: the grimness to his smile was as bad as if he hadn't tried to smile at all. Quirking a brow she noted how that last two year span had been very vague.

"You're clearly enchanted, brother, otherwise you'd remember that Alberich and mother didn't just try to marry you off, they almost succeeded. Your fiance, Lady Aella Zenia Rey is waiting for you- or have you been forced to forget her?"

Gourry reached up to scratch his head, "Again with that word. Lina, what does that mean again?"

Unable to help herself she slapped a hand to her face. This could be the reason he forgot what the word meant: he had one and wasn't allowed to remember her. Ignoring the sinking feeling in her gut, she groaned out, "Gourry I know Zel told you and Amelia told you too, now you're gonna make_ me _tell you?"

Gourry blinked cluelessly at her. "Yep."

Groaning again, she answered, "Fiance means engaged to marry, an agreement to spend the rest of your lives together..."

Gourry blinked again, his face scrunched up in confusion. He asked, "Then aren't we fiances?"

That stopped her in her tracks. When had he given her a ring? Then she realized what he meant. "No!" She smacked him, a befuddling mix of anger, hurt and jealousy, and also a tiny bit of fear lead to her reacting the only way she knew. Smacking him again she shouted, "Marry, idiot! An agreement to marry!"

He straightened, rubbing his head and his shoulder where she had hit him, "So I can't be a fiance because I don't remember agreeing."

He looked oddly cheered by this. Sadly, Selvin had to stomp on his basic logic, "You are forgetting something brother: you are a prince. Choice has very little to do with anything."

Gourry shrugged. "I can always disappear again; I didn't want to be a prince before and I still don't."

Lina found herself amused; it fit, Gourry was willing to put everything on the line for friends or for those who hired him, wouldn't want to take the risk for a bunch of faceless strangers. "If Phil hadn't already killed all expectations I had for princes, you would have just crushed them, Gourry."

Both Selvin and Gourry gaped at her in a confused manner. It was hilarious to see such an identical expression on their faces, because from the moment she had met either of them they had behaved as poler opposites. Laughing at both of them she had to admit she looked forward to meeting the other two brothers; she wanted to know if they all looked this closely alike. Amelia and her sister looked different, and the two of them and their father also very different, and she and her sister were pretty different as well. Seeing a normal family who looked alike was a novel idea.

Gourry shrugged and turned back to his younger brother, who technically held them prisoner; Sel shook his head, clearly confused by her. She had to admit, normally she didn't take the time to mess with people, but she might make an exception of him. At least, she was going to go out of her way to annoy him. The younger boy took a few more steps down the street before turning to a shop: it was the town blacksmith. Mildly curious as to what they were doing Lina listened as the blacksmith told him it would be another half an hour before he was done with the horse.

That at least explained how they found them: sheer dumb luck. A horse threw a shoe, they had to stop and by luck, good or bad, they chose to eat at the same inn.

"Would know of anyone trying to sell a wagon or a carriage?"

The blacksmith sadly knew of a man who did have a wagon he would sell; plodding through the other half the town they hadn't seen, the baby prince bought it and Lina knew she at least wasn't expected to walk with her hands chained. By this point it was later afternoon, and after a few words with his guardsmen, it was decided to spend the night back at the inn they had eaten at before. The princeling took four rooms; she had the feeling there was a plan to keep her and Gourry under guard, like they were really being held against their will. It infuriated her until she realized they probably didn't know who she was; then she had a hard time keeping herself from giving in and laughing like Naga. The odd snicker did escape and Gourry was acting worried, but she couldn't help it.

This was something that could only happen to her.

She was going to wait for the opportune moment, and then she would tell the little brat who he had been dismissing as an average sorceress.

Evil giggles were escaping her and she knew it, but the look on his face was going to be priceless. Then the men were sat down to order dinner, and with a squeal she realized princeling was going to be footing the bill. When the time came for the men to order for her, she ordered the whole menu, twice. While the guards with lowered hoods and the princeling gaped, Gourry ordered the same with extra desert. The waiter, the same boy who had fed them before, nodded and walked back in a slow way that made her think he was in shock.

Looking at the stunned faces she grinned widely. "What? Using magic costs energy."

Gourry nodded, "Protecting her is exhausting."

Looking over the five guards, she noted most of them were a bit older than Gourry, from five to six years, and all of them looked like normal men, the kind of soldiers you would send with a young prince on his first mission. If Selvin was only eighteen, this had to be his first really mission leaving the his home country. He might as well be a virgin. She snickered.

Gourry was clearly concerned by her apparent good mood; he was used to her being grumpy, and her being so cheerful when someone had interfered with her... she supposed it did seem strange, but she didn't want to leave Gourry and if she didn't go along with this... He might be taken from her. She had done that once, it wasn't happening again. Besides, she was learning things about him she had never known before.

She sat back and played with the chain connecting the cuffs together, watching the light play on metal she found her thoughts drifting towards the more serious side of this. Gourry was a prince. Gourry had a fiance. Gourry might be enchanted. Something about making him forget. Forget what? His soon to be marriage at the time? Something he saw? Revenge? He and his elder brother didn't get along, she couldn't rule that out. What wasn't he supposed to remember? If he wasn't supposed to tell someone something, wouldn't it be easier to arrange for him to get killed? It's not hard when it's a prince. The family has enemies, killing a prince wouldn't be hard to arrange.

It was clear to see that the moment he went home his life would be in danger, even if his stupid younger brother didn't understand that.

All the more reason to stick close to him.

Food was dropped on the table and she couldn't help but dive in, and aside from noting Gourry was eating slowly for him, probably in respect to the fact he's supposed to be a prince, she enjoyed herself thoroughly. She wasn't paying, Gourry wasn't paying, and for once it wasn't Amelia.

After all the plates were cleared and the few obligatory attempts to steal food from Gourry, she sat back and waited on Princeling and his men to make the next move. She'd give Selvin the fact his men did respect him and he was willing to listen if they had advice to give, but he still was far too cocky for his skills. She supposed he had found a place in the family as a wizard with Gourry gone, but aside from a higher then normal sword skill, he was an average wizard at best. Unless he had seriously underpowered the spell he threw at his brother.

Selvin, having finished his meal and seeing she and Gourry were done, told his men to take them to one of the four rooms and take turns guarding them; he was going to get the horse from blacksmith. As she stood and was guided to the stairs, she found herself wondering if the whole trip was going to go like this; if so she might give in and cast a Fireball or two... or make a few fake escape attempts to keep the guards alert so they might protect Gourry better.

Allowing herself to be guided up the stairs, she was unsurprised to be put in a room with Gourry; but when she and he were shut in the room together with a small window (a tight squeeze for Gourry, but doable), she realized the guard was going to be on the outside she couldn't help but get annoyed. Who did they think they were locking up?

"Hey, you're going to lock me in here with him?!"

The door opened; Selvin and the man she had only heard named as Rob were standing there, glaring at her. "What?" Selvin bit out frustrated.

"You can't lock us up in here alone with each other."

Selvin stared blankly at her. "Why not?"

Gourry spoke up from behind her, "Yeah, why not?"

Turning, she shot a meaningful glance to Gourry and then the window; he blinked confused but shut up. Turning back to Selvin and his captain, she put a whiny tone in her voice. "Because... What about my reputation?"

Both of the men stared at her confused, then Selvin realized what she meant. "Don't be stupid, my brother is honorable. Besides, you were traveling with him alone before."

"But we always stayed in separate rooms."

Cruel amusement and frustration wrote itself across Selvin's face, the captain Rob just looked puzzled. "Tough." He slammed the door.

She waited for a moment before giving in and grinning. As expected, Selvin was young enough to try to get revenge by doing the opposite of what was smart, if you made it seem like that was what you wanted.

Gourry spoke up, "I still don't understand the plan."

She giggled, unable to help herself as crossed the room; she then whispered, "Your brother is making some stupid mistakes and I aim to give him some experience, so when it matters he knows better. So we're escaping for the night. We get four hours down the road on the way to the castle, then spend the night there. They'll come rushing after us, and then they'll capture us again."

Gourry looked totally lost but said, "Let's make sure I understand the important part: we're getting away so you can torture my brother?"

Lina shrugged. "Yes."

Gourry shook his head, but agreed. Quietly melting the cuffs on her wrists, she loosed Gourry. Jumping out the window Lina used Levitation; she flew back up and took Gourry's sword, and armor. After she landed to drop that, she flew up and helped him out the window; then she lowered him safely and silently to the ground. While Gourry picked up his things and redressed, she went to the back door and bought leftovers to take with them for breakfast; travelers bread just didn't cut it. Having emptied the kitchen, she and Gourry set off into the night, and found place to crash for the night two hours down the road. Lina took first watch- not something she normally did, but with all she had learned during the day she had to think.

Gourry quickly settled into sleep, and she found herself staring at the night sky.

Gourry was a prince. Gourry was probably an enchanted prince. His sister was getting married. She was going home with him. He had a fiance. He had forgotten said fiance. She was charged with making him forget said woman. Gourry didn't care about that fiance. Gourry didn't want to be a prince.

But that was now, if he had been enchanted... _if_. Wouldn't that change because her favorite forgetful idiot wasn't the real man? Maybe he was remembering enough to know he had never wanted to be a prince, but if he was smarter, if he held more knowledge in that empty head of his, would he stay with her? Why would he?

She would still be a small flat chested girl, nineteen or not. She had a horrible temper, she got him into all sorts of trouble. Hell, she had almost killed him with her own hands in the midst of all that trouble, if not by using the Giga Slave then by failing to realize it was Gourry under all that armor- she had used a full-powered Ragna Blade on him. It still gave her the chills to realize that if it were not for the Sword of Light she would have killed him by her own hands. Of course, that was Phibrizzo's plan but still, that thought alone was enough to give her nightmares.

But on the other hand, didn't that mean, no matter what Gourry's homeland had in store for them, she owed it to him to find out? And after it was all over, if he had changed his mind she wouldn't hold it against him. No tears, no fireballs, she would be brave. Hurt was what she knew. Hurting was easy.

Lina sat back; it was easy as always when she was staying with him. She maybe didn't always think of it consciously, but everything she did was done with the two of then in mind. They needed money, she found them a job, he needed a break, they needed a break, Gourry needed a sword, she needed a sword. It was so damn easy.

Remembering something her father had told her about him and her mother, she realized maybe that was how it was supposed to be.

Staring at the fire, she realized that wasn't where the light she was seeing was coming from. Looking back to the sky, she realized it was false dawn- she had been up thinking all night. Knowing they had only walked for two hours she wanted to be further down the road; with that in mind she nudged Gourry awake.

He groaned and rolled over, then blinking up at her he sleepily asked, "My turn?"

She shook her head. "No, we'll walk a ways and when I'm tired we'll stop."

Gourry blinked, more awake now; that was when he realized where the light was coming from. "Hey, you let me sleep all night."

Lina shrugged; Gourry didn't like it when she did that, but usually when she took first watch that was what happened because she wanted to stay up and think. "Sorry I was thinking, I didn't mean to. But don't worry, you can play guard while I nap later."

Gourry nodded and stood, dusting himself off, then he went to the small pond, and washed his face and took a little sip of water. While he was doing that she slipped into the bushes and relieved herself; coming back out she washed her hands in the small drainage stream from the pond. Both of them ready to go on, she lead the way, Gourry a half step behind her to her right.

Soon he asked, "What about breakfast?"

Reaching into her hidden pockets, she pulled out food and started passing it to him, taking bites for herself. It had been two hours of walking when the sun had come up and they had started passing by other travelers who had slept on the road, or were coming from the very small village in-between the two city-towns. She was thinking she was sleepy when she found the perfect spot for a nap: seeing the tree standing alone half a hill from the road she set off that way. Gourry was confused but followed.

Reaching the tree, she announced she was taking her nap; she laid down and was almost asleep when Gourry spoke softly, "Lina is it going to matter if I am enchanted?"

Suddenly wide awake, she gave him the answer she had come to overnight, "Only if you think it does."

During the long silence where she waited for him to say something, the soft and warm sunlight lulled her to sleep. She only woke when she could hear indignant shouting; fully awake she rolled over and realized Selvin was shouting at Gourry who had gone down to the road, probably to keep them from waking her.

"...You are telling me you left because you weren't being held prisoner well enough?!"

She grinned evilly, this was starting the day off right. Stretching, she luxuriated in the sensation of having upset Selvin. His disinterest in her was annoying, he hadn't even asked her name- he was rude enough he deserved what he got. Walking down the hill she was surprised by how uncomfortable Gourry looked with his brother. Of course, the little he remembered about the brat was from more than six years ago; his brother was sure to have changed.

"Hello, princeling! Sleep well?"

Selvin growled, actually growled at her.

She smirked, she couldn't help herself.

"No, first I woke and took my turn- only when I peeked into the room it was empty. Then I hunted you for three hours, only to find out if I had asked at the inn they could have told me you left town. Then finding the cuffs broken I had to buy new ones, then I found out you had bought out the entire breakfast from the inn, and then we had to spend all morning checking alongside the road, trying to find you!" Selvin looked totally out of control, he was furious.

She laughed in his face; it was better than she thought it would be, "Well, if you had correctly figured out why I was asking if you were closing the door; leaving us alone, and together last night you could have had a much better morning."

Rob looked amused behind Selvin but he said nothing, and the other guards just looked tired; they hadn't gotten enough sleep last night either. Selvin waved his hands and two of the men leaped from the wagon and slapped cuffs on her.

Irritated, now she was going to melt them-only to have them shock her. It was mild enough, a light burn, but enough to let her know odds were good Selvin had just shelled out a pretty penny -or he wasn't the hack she had thought. Seeing the proud triumph, on his face she couldn't let it go. Testing the metal she found it wasn't a special alloy and she could break it, so she promptly did.

Selvin stared, baffled by her strength.

She laughed at him. "I am no hack sorceress, stop treating me like one." Then perfectly contentedly she hopped on the back of the wagon, everyone stared except for Gourry who was shaking his head.

In an amused tone, he spoke up, "I don't think I've ever seen you so ticked off at someone before, Lina... except maybe Nama."

She smiled; it was probably true for the time he had traveled with her. Naga before him did the same, but was much better at getting at back her. But again, his memory was getting better; she wondered if it would be even better at his home- if so it was almost impossible he wasn't cursed. "Hop on Gourry, you do want to see your sister get married, don't you?"

He smiled up at her. "You got that right." After he hopped on up next to her, the two of them waited on the rest of the escort; the two men joined them in the wagon, their horses getting a break from carrying people by being tied to the back. The rest of the group was on horseback or driving the wagon.

As they got rolling, Lina had one last thought about hiding Gourry from his family, protecting him from what was sure to be hellfire raining down on his head. She dismissed it: Gourry wouldn't let her. Even if he understood why she wanted to protect him.

This has been edited by Steven P . P as of 2012 9/21


	2. Chapter 2

**What's in a Memory?**

**Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it until it was on instant play, on Netflix. So it's not mine.**

**Chapter Two**

Nine more days of being on the road with Prince Selvin and Lina couldn't help but desperately want to fireball the little punk. She had found out talking to the guards that Selvin's true power was his ability to enchant objects, swords, even the cuffs - he had gotten a lot of practice with that recently.

Rob, Captain of the Guard, was someone she would almost call a friend; or at least was friendly, but she knew he would do his duty if Selvin ordered him to. Franklin, next in the chain of command was a goofball in secret, because when he was a on mission, or following direct orders he was cold and stiff, without his default smirk. Lynch was a tough guy, the strongest guy on the squad; he was a sparring buddy of Gourry's, though it took two days for Gourry to remember that. Alcott was the youngest and he was the archer of the group, a real sharp shooter.

Lina couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he ever got a hold of guns from the Outer World they now could reach.

Harvard was the silent scout, he could sneak up on everyone but her and Gourry: Gourry probably because of all his experience in not being sneaked up on, and her because she could always pick out the old smell of his tobacco; it was a scent not normal here at all, even in town, his was an exotic brand. He didn't smoke much, not more then a pipe a week, she had seen him smoke twice but that smell lingered.

Selvin, however, continued to get on her nerves. Over the last week and a half she had broken a set of cuffs almost every day, and she had escaped twice to piss him off. She had even kidnapped him one time. That had been fun, a little sleeping spell on him and she ray winged him out; Gourry had been annoyed when he found out what her extra stop had been. But she explained to him she just wanted Selvin to trust people to protect him less and do it himself more.

Gourry couldn't protest to that.

Much.

She was still furious the 'prince' had yet to ask her for her name. What kind of manners did he have? It was clear to her he had none.

But she had to admit, when told of this humble country she had expected poor man's bricks, basically dried mud patties, but most homes, even normal farmers had solid brick houses; she suspected it had to do with had the dirt here being clay, making it very easy and cheap to make good brick. The cities they had passed through were nice, the border between Zephilia and Elmekia had been prairie land, grassy meadows, sheep, cows, horses. She may have been born in Zephilia, but she had never gone beyond her home city, and into Elmekia; she liked what she had seen, but she was also super glad not to have gone home yet. They missed it by three major cities- this was a good thing, any closer and her sister would have smelled her passing by, she was sure.

Of course, some of facts about the country were relayed to her: it was not only a rich kingdom because it did good trade for the bricks and clay it was best known for, but also because it was a good mining country. They had six gold mines, at least six owned directly by the crown, as well as another dozen or two smaller ones. The country had two diamond mines as well, in the far corner closest to the desert coast. The cities they were passing through were prosperous, and Lina knew they were getting closer to the capital, but it still surprised her when they stopped that night Selvin asked Harvard to either go ahead or hire someone to go warn the lady and the princess of their imminent arrival. Harvard was back just as food was arriving he had hired a runner in the company the crown used to send important information.

Lina wasn't sure what to think; in two short days she would be seeing Gourry's home for the first time and meeting the rest of his family, but the way the brat prince was acting she was betting she would be getting a first-hand tour of the dungeon. If that was the case she couldn't decide, whether to Dragon Slave the dungeon or sneakily escape and wait for him in his room to prove if she was going to enchant anyone, it would be his bratty ass.

The though brought a smile to her face, despite carrying a sword, despite all her escape attempts that little naïve child still hadn't gotten a clue, she could wipe him away like a bug... She wondered if that was how Xellos felt sometimes; of course, that brought up all the questions about monsters that humans had: it was known they enjoyed and fed off unpleasant things, hate, envy, jealousy, cruelty, all that. But Xellos seemed very different; he enjoyed pain in others, that couldn't be denied, and in the right moments - he clearly felt bloodlust, she just wondered if his unique position among humans had rubbed off on him or something. His sense of humor was often cruel and sarcastic, but the fact he had such a clear one struck her as odd.

But it didn't change the knowledge that one day they would be standing opposite one another. That was something she had known from day one; for the most part she was safe, he might even protect her, hell, he had - but that was only as long as she useful. And that wouldn't last forever. That was why when Filla had been shocked when Xellos had offered to kill her to bring Valgaav over to his side she hadn't been surprised; she was only so useful, a monster of that caliber was worth her life - it made sense.

"Hey Lina, what are you thinking about?" Gourry looked bored out of his mind, not that he had much of one.

Glancing about the room they had been put in for the night, her eyes skipped over Alcott, their in-room guard for the next four and a half hours. The room itself was normal with four walls, a sink, a mirror, two beds, a dresser, two windows to keep the room fresh smelling; it was very easy to have stuffy smelling rooms in the desert climate. "Just thinking about Xellos, our past adventures, and wondering if you are under a spell, why?"

Gourry nodded slowly. "Why about Xellos?"

"I was just thinking about how it feels to know things others don't know."

Gourry made a face at her. "You know a lot of things like that."

She stuck her tongue out at him, feeling like that had somehow been a slight. "At least I don't piss people off talking about secrets!"

Gourry shrugged. "You do seem ready to do that to Sel."

She growled, "Your brat brother is the one with no manners, he has never even asked me for my name! He has never taken me seriously! Of course I'll do everything I can to piss him off."

Gourry looked thoughtful about that one; it was a look she had been seeing more and more, coming closer to home had clearly increased his memory and intelligence.

"I suppose he is guilty on that count, but why does he make you so mad?"

She huffed. "He acts so haughty, what so great about him? He can do some spells, he's royalty, he knows which way to point a sword, but besides that what has he done? Killed any Dark Lords recently? Saved anyone's lives? Mastered a rare and unheard of spell? Completed some life-long goal? No, all he's done is find you, and to be honest as famous as we are that's not too hard."

Gourry bobbed his head slowly. "But we aren't too well known in these parts... neither of us has done anything over here."

She shrugged. "I'll give you that one, but still, how hard can it be to find out you are going in one direction once he figured out you were using a different name?"

Alcott spoke up, entering the conversation for the first time, "I suppose that Prince Selvin has been rude to you Miss Lina, but ever since Prince Gourry left, all Prince Selvin wanted was to find his brother. He tried to get permission at sixteen but was turned down by the Crown Prince; I think he's disappointed that after all this time and having found his brother he still doesn't have him back yet."

Gourry looked stunned by this, but Lina had to consider it; if her sister had disappeared under questionable circumstances, would she have done the same? The answer was probably not, her sister was the Knight of Ceifeed after all; if she couldn't take care of herself they were all in trouble.

But she supposed, taking into account what she knew of the family dynamics, it did make sense. Without Gourry there to defend himself, Selvin had to listen to his city and family mock Gourry; if he looked up to his brother it was horrible to hear your hero degraded.

She lifted one shoulder and dropped it. It didn't matter that the boy wasn't happy his brother wasn't going to make things go back to the way they were, he still showed very little sign of grasping the full scope of what Gourry's memory loss could mean. For that matter, none of the guards seemed to either.

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Come what may, she had his back, even if she had to break out of dungeons to do so.

The next thing she knew, she was opening her eyes to watch Alcott switch with Lynch - then she realized something was wrong: his eyes were overly bright. The door shut behind Alcott, and Lynch's face slowly morphed into Xellos, who was smiled at her even as he raised Lynch's blade over Gourry's sleeping form. She was trying to wake herself the rest of the way up, trying to force herself to move... But the blade slashed down. She screamed - only to find herself sitting up in her bed with Lynch and Gourry staring at her.

Breathing hard, she realized she had woken to see Lynch and Alcott switch out, but from there it blended into her other thoughts, turning into the dream that had just woken her.

"Lina, you okay?"

She shook her head, clearing it of silly fears. "Yeah, I'm fine, that was just a really weird dream. Xellos was holding slugs over me and my sister was cheering him on."

Gourry unfortunately was proving the fact he was getting sharper by giving her a slightly disbelieving look, but he also didn't ask again. Lynch, however, just looked horribly confused. Hopping out of bed, Lina saw it was just about dawn, so she decided to just get up for the day. After washing her face, she started brushing her hair; ignoring the men behind her, she could see in the mirror that Lynch was looking at Gourry still confused and hoping for answers, but Gourry was watching her with altogether too sharp eyes. But he didn't say anything, just followed her example, while she went back to watching the brush run through her fiery red hair, the orange highlights hypnotizing her.

She realized her hair was knot free, so she stood and started putting boots on, then her sword belt, then her talismans, then her cloak and with that she was ready for the day. Gourry was almost ready too, and as soon as he was done with Lynch following them they went down to have breakfast. Franklin was the guard outside, so the four of them went down and ordered; they had been downstairs for an hour before the other guards and the princeling came down to eat. Gourry greeted his brother and Lina asked what she had been wondering for a couple days now, "So, how close are we to the capital?"

Rob answered her once it was clear Selvin wouldn't, "We are very close. We travel the rest of the way today, spend the night at the Red Raven Inn, and then we'll be back at the castle by midday meal."

Lina nodded; she had at least one more night in a nice bed before Sel tried to throw her into a dungeon.

And before it got out publicly that Prince Gourry was back.

She spent the rest of the day getting on Selvin's nerves to keep hers under control. The Red Raven Inn was a very nice place, clearly someplace she and Gourry normally never would have stayed at due to the cost; but since they were here on someone else's dime Lina ordered a bath, fully expecting not to be allowed one once at the castle. Selvin was too angry with her and too blind to the fact that her specialty didn't include enchanting people.

Taking her bath, she knew Harvard was her guard outside to make sure she didn't run away, so she was surprised when the door opened and Harvard stepped in, closing the door behind him. Alarmed because she was naked, she paused part way through throwing a Fireball; she was curious as to why the silent man chose this moment to make his move. She had suspected it was coming, he watched her too closely not to have something on his mind. But now? Did he choose this moment because she was the most vulnerable being naked and all, or because now was the first time Gourry wasn't close by?

"What do you want, Harvard?"

He stared closely, making her nervous enough to cross her arms over her breasts; if he was trying to freak her out it was working.

"I want to know three things. One, are you the one who enchanted Prince Gourry?"

"Never."

He stared, seemingly thinking her answer over, "That is an odd answer," he finally said. "Never? Never enchant him, or never cast a spell on him?"

She flushed; she had cast spells at him but never on him per se. "I have fought him, so some spells were thrown at him but I never cast anything on him, never. He's my friend. I wouldn't hurt him."

"Why have you fought him?"

She shifted; Harvard was barely blinking while watching her. "Neither of us were at fault; he was captured by an enemy and forced to fight us, and since he was wearing different armor we didn't know who we were fighting."

"We?"

"At the time I was traveling with three others."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?" He crept closer to the tub, trying to make it clear she had no place to hide.

"Because they're our friends too, and I want to protect them."

Harvard blinked slowly taking that in. "You doubt I'm on the prince's side?"

She shrugged, arms still crossed tightly with her knees brought to her chest. "Which prince? Gourry has three brothers, I don't know if he has been enchanted but if he has, his family has the most motive."

Harvard nodded slowly. "So you've realized the risks of his return too then?"

She inclined her head as well. "I want to know what you want from me. You've been watching me for quite some time, what do you want?"

Harvard smirked. "You continue to mock Prince Selvin, even though he has some power over what becomes of you. And I can't help but note you haven't given anyone your full name."

She raised an eyebrow. "You want my full name?"

Harvard nodded.

"My name is Lina Inverse, and my mage title is Lina the Pink." She watched as he thought quickly; he clearly recognized her name, for what she didn't know, but he knew something about her.

"The sister of the Knight of Ceifeed , the sorceress thought to have killed many a powerful monster, and laid waste to countless cities?"

She slowly smiled, seeing the touch of fearful respect in his eyes. "That's me. See why I don't fear that little princeling? The fact is I haven't beat him up out of respect for Gourry."

Harvard bobbed his head slowly.

She smiled brightly. "Now it's my turn mister sneaky scout, why corner me? Why all the questions, you could have asked Gourry."

Harvard looked thoughtful. "You questioned which prince I serve, and you are correct to; I report to Prince Gerard, but I am loyal to Prince Gourry because he saved my life. I was sixteen, he was eighteen heading home from training with a master. I was beset by bandits, they were about to kill me and he swooped in. I didn't care for my apprenticeship that got me there, I followed him home and enlisted in the castle guard; I was trained for a year before being posted. Despite it had been a year and he had only traveled with me for a week, he recognized me. I was touched and followed his example the best as I could. But then he left with the Sword of Light; no one knew exactly what happened, only that Gourry was gone and so was the sword. Prince Selvin was very upset; I knew Prince Gourry loved his little brother, so I did my best to get posted where I could watch out for the youngest prince. Selvin remembered that and my respect for his brother when he picked me for this mission."

She laughed. "It's funny, I met him fighting bandits too. Admittedly I didn't need his help, but all he saw was a child, so he said he'd take me to my next destination and along the way we realized we make a good team."

Harvard smiled. "That sounds like him."

Lina nodded. "Now that I've answered your questions, can you leave the room?"

Harvard looked serious. "One more thing. Swear to protect my prince with your life."

Lina couldn't help it, his tone was threatening: "Or what?"

"Or I tell Prince Gerard all we've said today with a few edits."

She scowled. "I would already give my life for his. Back off."

Harvard looked at her closely; seeing him looking intently at her she couldn't help but flush. Her and her damned big mouth.

Harvard at least had some tact, since all he said was, "Oh. You're right, I didn't need to ask."

She nodded, and Harvard gave a soft apology before leaving the room. She slowly finished washing up. Gourry had one man she could count on to watch his back, but Harvard's other duties were sure to keep him far from Gourry for the most part; it was still up to her and that depended on her not being locked up. She rose from the cooling water and grabbed the towel to dry herself quickly. She needed to have dinner and get some sleep; tomorrow was sure to be stressful.

The next morning was as expected: Selvin slapped cuffs on her and after a minute of struggle she broke them. Breakfast was over far too quickly and they began to head up to the castle. While Gourry had been talkative every day up until now, today he was silent and the frown on his face said he either was frustrated because he didn't remember more, or he was confused by his memories. Going through the city, Lina couldn't deny she was impressed; this was a capital to match any other she had walked through. For being a prairie or desert country the city didn't feel like it, there were trees, small parks, a multitude of fountains and wells for water. It was beautiful, the only thing she had to complain about was the heat; everyone said this was cool but to her it felt hot she wanted to drop her cloak because it was far too warm for her comfort.

Reaching the castle wall she had to say the construction was very impressive in itself, but the moment they were inside she was more impressed by the grounds; where there wasn't packed dirt for training grounds for men or horses, she saw only gardens. There were flowers and plants there she'd never seen in person before. Her studies had made her aware of a wide range of plants, but some of these didn't grow in any other country she had traveled to.

They entered the main castle, and she could see the place was built with defense in mind; these corridors were decorated nicely, but there were blind corners and tiny hide holes as well, places ideal for an ambush. Even now, uniformed guards stood in many of those spots. This was when her feared separation took place: Selvin walked on, guiding his brother forward while Franklin and Lynch each grabbed one of her arms; Rob then lead the way to the left.

"You guys do know there is no way you'll be able to keep me locked up, right?"

Rob shook his head. "Sorry, Miss Lina, but we have orders to put you in the mage cell. No one has ever escaped from there."

She laughed, "That won't stop me, I promise."

That was when she heard Gourry realize a hall over that she wasn't behind him. Franklin and Lynch continued to lead her down the hall, but she could hear Gourry yelling at his brother.

"You said you wouldn't lock her up! You have been lying again and again! You said you wouldn't chain her up, and now you're throwing her in the dungeons!"

She smirked hearing the sounds of struggle followed swiftly by the sound of running feet. Franklin and Lynch stopped at Rob's signal; clearly she hadn't been the only one listening. The four of them turned to face an angry Gourry followed by Selvin, Alcott and Harvard; the former two seemed to be nursing red marks that were sure to turn into bruises. Gourry stopped short of running into the small group, growling at Rob he ordered, "Let her go."

Rob shook his head. "Sorry, Your Highness, but until it's been confirmed she hasn't enchanted you she must stay in the Mage Cage."

Gourry opened his mouth, probably to threaten poor Rob, but she stopped him. "Gourry, come on like this Mage Cage can hold me. We'll play along, you go get ready to be a Prince again, and I'll join in soon enough."

Gourry frowned at her, clearly all too aware that in a small way this was his fault. "Lina, this isn't right."

She smiled half-heartedly, making sure to turn it into a smirk so as not to worry him. "Since when does right have anything do with it?"

Gourry smirked back. "Since Amelia declared it so."

She couldn't help but jolt, the way he was remembering things made her nervous. He _had_ to be under a spell. Testing it, she snarked back, "But with Xellos and Zel around they have to counter her."

Gourry smiled.

For once, he didn't look confused about who she was talking about. Fear rising in her, she knew she needed to get locked up so she could break out and be back to guard his back. "Go. I'll be fine." He was half-way through smiling back at her when she added the last half, "But you need to watch your back."

Gourry looked startled, as was everyone else but Harvard, who nodded slowly to her. After everyone had been standing there for a moment in silence, she couldn't help doing something; she wanted to see this 'Mage Cage', it sounded like it might be a challenge. She tugged with her arms, shaking Franklin and Lynch from their thoughts. They hesitated, but when Gourry made no move to do anything else, he merely looked thoughtful, they and Rob turned back the way they had been going and lead her down to the dungeon.

It took far too many hallways, and a couple of staircases before she found herself in a lower part of the castle; it was musty smelling and the faint smell of rot couldn't be hidden, but it was probably one of the cleanest dungeons she had ever been in. They made her lose her short sword, her dagger, the extra knife she carried in her boot, her cape with all its pockets and they searched her other pockets to make sure she didn't have anything she could use to escape.

That done, a light set of handcuffs were slapped on her and she guided down the long row of cells, around the corner to a single cell. As they put her up against the back wall, Rob gave her a fair warning about the cell.

"Now Lina, don't think of trying to blast through the walls. They are ten feet thick on all but the front side, however, that has been heavily enchanted. The last wizard who tried to escape almost killed himself because of those enchantments. So do the smart thing, wait the two or three days it'll take for it to be confirmed you are not the witch who enchanted him."

Lina shrugged.

Rob sighed. "Please don't kill yourself trying then, Prince Gourry would kill us for that I think."

Lina smirked at the idea, she found it far more likely Gourry would hunt down someone to heal her up so he could at the very least yell at her, if not kill her himself. Never mind both of them had done some pretty stupid stuff to escape jail before.

Franklin spoke up, "I'll bring you food in an hour or two."

Lina nodded again; that would be nice, but it also gave her a deadline for how long she had until they would know she got out. With one last look at her, Rob turned away and closed the door before locking it. Seeing a faint shimmer cover the front wall she knew all spells were engaged. This called for a bit of testing. Touching it was like getting to close to a fire; the longer she touched the wall the hotter it got.

She was thinking of a low powered spell to test on the wall when an unexpected voice startled her.

"My dear, is it just pure bad luck on my part that you're here?"

Spinning, she found Xellos against the back wall watching her, seemingly relaxed. But to her, finding him there was setting off every warning alarm she had. It was proof this was going to be big. Beast Master was in on this, and therefore so was his priest. "Xellos."

"Yes. But if it's just bad luck on my part... where is Gourry? If they're locking you up, I'd expect him to right alongside you."

She grinned widely. "You don't know?"

Xellos opened an eye. looking confused and somewhat discomforted by her tone. "Don't know what, Lina?"

"Gourry is the missing prince."

Xellos looked totally shocked.

She couldn't help but cackle; seeing Xellos totally caught off guard was awesome, and it probably was the last thing she was ever going to see too.

"But... Then why are you here?"

"Because I am being charged as the evil enchantress who has cast a spell on Prince Gourry."

Xellos looked thoughtful, and she got the feeling she wasn't going to like what he said next. "But then you must be guilty."

Getting his drift, she couldn't help but start charging a Fireball. That creep, Xellos... implying... she'd fry him. However, to her surprise, Xellos got serious, using his staff he stopped the charging Fireball. "Lina, I can to give you one warning with Beast Master's permission. You and Gourry should leave."

She sighed; it was nice Beast Master and Xellos thought she could be useful in the future, enough so that they offered to let her go, but she'd never get Gourry to leave his family and if she lied he'd never forgive her. "Xellos, you know as well as I do that's not going to happen."

Xellos shrugged. "Suit yourself Lina, but remember - for Gourry's sake."

He vanished and Lina couldn't help but sag; she and Gourry were so screwed it wasn't even funny. Monsters, maybe assassins, memory loss, false charges, a questionable sword and no clue who is behind it all. She groaned to herself, "Why do I have to be right all the time?"

With a sigh, she straightened and realized her hand cuffs were still on; with a sharp yank she broke them and went back to testing the wall. A light spell bright enough to brighten the whole cell was devoured by the wall. In other words, the front wall was mostly magic-proof because the protections absorbed the attack spells.

It was interesting craftsmanship; she wondered who had done it. But it left her with two choices: try to overwhelm its ability to absorb spells and blast the wall down, or not use magic at all. The former was easier, but with those kind of protections it was no wonder the last guy almost died. She looked about the cell, saw a bed, two buckets, one of water and one serving as a toilet, she guessed, and then there was the door. Studying it more closely, she noted there were no hinges on this side of the door, but with a sturdier knife or something she could dig into it enough to ruin the hinges and push the door down.

However, her knives was gone.

She didn't have enough metal on her to make a knife with magic; she had her cuffs but she needed more than that. But, when she turned back to the bed, with a kick she found out it was indeed bolted to the floor. Giving her what she needed: a quick spell later and she had knife. She went to the side of the door and edged the tip of her new knife in the tiny crack; keeping in mind where the hinges should be, she started working the blade. Right away, the wood was creaking and crackling. Not a quiet escape, but it was quick: three minutes later she felt the back of the hinge snap. The next one, the bottom hinge only took two. However when she got to the last hinge, the hand she was using to hold herself up high enough to do the top one was burning; switching hands hurt like hell but the hinge gave in and with a quick shove the door toppled over. She had escaped. Without a Fireball.

Putting the knife back she returned its parts to their former shapes, so if she had to escape again she could use the same trick. Outside, she put the door back up although she knew it would fall down again the moment someone tried to open it. So she hightailed back to her stuff where she dressed again, did a quick healing spell for her hands, and slipped up the stairs. Stopping at the top, she could hear two voices behind the door; she knew behind the door on the other side of this room was the one she had first come through to get down here.

The reckless part of her wanted to rush in and throw a Fireball or two, but the practical side added that it would foolish: even if people didn't hear that, they would know she escaped the moment they opened the door. It would be more fun to wait for them to find that out by trying to enter the cell and having the door fall over.

Sleeping spell it was. Taking a few deep breaths, she readied the spell and then flung the door open. The two men turned to look at her; the one on the left stood with his hand reaching to his sword belt.

Him first. She flung the Sleeping spell at the guard, and managed to put enough power behind her spell that it caught both men: their eyes closed and they fell over. She laughed; this was so easy. Walking in, she picked the men up and sat them at the table so no questions would be asked when they were found. Opening the door, she looked down the hall and found no one waiting, so she walked out closing the door behind and started down the hall whistling.

This was fun.

Wandering down the hall, she chose a route different from the one she had come in earlier; she had seen the guards in that direction and they had seen her on her way to the dungeons, so they would sound the alarms. Thus setting off she found herself distracted by the décor: this was clearly the servants side of the castle. These halls weren't as glided, they were still clean and had the odd tapestry but it wasn't shinny like the halls from earlier. Soon she noticed people dressed in soft blue or gray walking passed her, servants she was guessing; finally seeing someone who didn't look too busy she asked politely, visions of surprising Selvin running through her head, "Where's the royal family's lunch going to be?"

The woman she was speaking to looked up at her in a confused manner. "Why do you ask?"

Lina gave a charmingly sweet smile. "I'm the lost prince's friend, I'm joining them for lunch."

The woman looked aghast. "We were told it was the royal family only."

Lina beamed. "There must have been some miscommunication. But I got lost, I think I took a wrong turn."

The woman stared at her for a moment before nodding. "Okay, I'll take of it right away. Kara!"

A younger woman in blue came around the corner, "Mistress Gina?"

"Take this young lady to the family dinning room. She is having lunch with the family, Rob told me wrong."

Lina held in a smirk; once again acting like you belonged worked out. Everyone except maybe Gourry was going to be surprised. Grinning sincerely she said, "Thank you so much."

Gina, apparently someone of stature in the servant hierarchy, smiled back. "You are welcome young lady, any friend of Prince Gourry is a friend of ours."

Lina smiled back at her. Gourry must have been kind to them if they behaved like this; of course, the woman was old enough that she probably thought of Gourry as a nephew or something. The younger girl, probably her age, said politely, "This way..."

Lina realized that the girl was confused as how to address her. "It's Sorceress Lina."

The girl looked at her, waiting for a last name, but Lina merely kept smiling. After a few more moments the girl nodded and said, "This way, Ms. Lina."

Following the girl down a few more servant hallways, they soon turned on to the main, more showy hallway, and Lina couldn't help going back to admiring the scenery. Kara noticed and spoke up, "Amazing aren't they?"

Lina grinned. "I'm surprised. It actually competes with Saillune."

Kara's eyes went wide. "You've been to Saillune?"

Lina nodded. "More than once. The palace is just as nice as this one."

"Why did you go there?"

Lina chuckled; here was a girl who'd never left her home city, that was clear. "Well, first of all, I am an adventuring sorceress, second I'm friends with as well as traveling companion to the younger princess of Saillune."

The girl looked awed. "You travel with Princess Amelia?"

Lina nodded, almost modestly. "I've traveled with her father as well, and with the prince of Taforashia also. That was why I was surprised to find out Gourry was a prince, it wasn't like he was the only royal around."

Kara looked embarrassed but asked shyly, "Is Prince Gourry as handsome as his brothers?"

Lina snickered, "I've only seen Selvin, but probably."

Kara looked hopeful and Lina squashed the protective and nasty urge to scare the girl off. If she had to scare anyone off it was this fiance. Besides, this little servant girl had as good a chance as any to try to catch Gourry's attention; as far as she could tell Gourry might notice breast size but he payed little to no attention to girls. He cared more for food and sword fighting. They stopped walking; Kara politely pointed at the door they had just stopped outside of, with two guards standing at attention. "Here you are, Ms. Lina. I hope you enjoy your stay here."

Lina grinned, anticipation surging. "Thanks Kara, see you later."

The girl smiled shyly, and then walked away. Lina turned towards the two men; neither of them moved to open the doors. Smiling flirtatiously, she asked, "Won't you open the doors for a pretty girl?"

Both looked at her coldly, they clearly were personal bodyguards. The one with black hair to her right questioned her, "Who are you and why are you here?"

She opened her eyes wide, trying to come off as harmless and innocent, "I'm Lina and I'm Prince Gourry's traveling companion, so I'm here to eat lunch and meet his family."

The left one with a mustache said coldly, "We weren't told of this."

Lina still looked innocently at them. "I was told that by the staff when I got lost on my way here."

Both stared at her, seemingly in silent contemplation.

Finally the one to the left said, "If you're Prince Gourry's traveling companion, what went missing with him?"

Lina frowned; she would have thought that would be common knowledge, but maybe not... come to think of it, she had never heard the Sword of Light being connected to Elmekia or the royal family, so maybe it wasn't.

"The Sword of Light," she answered.

Both relaxed a little. "Hand over your weapons and you may enter," the right one told her.

Lina nodded and handed them her dagger and short sword; neither needed to know she had a cursed dagger in one of her cloak pockets at the moment. The left one opened the door for her with an apologetic smile. As she entered she was disappointed to realize Selvin wasn't there yet and neither was Gourry - but the woman sitting there was breathtaking. She guessed it was Gourry's sister because of the similar eyes and blond hair, and since she was tall for a woman.

Her hair in a complex style of rolls twisted into a bun with soft curls framing her face, she was wearing a ruffed light blue gown. The woman looked up and seemed confused as to why she was there. Lina realized quickly that Calfy hadn't been told of her, not to mention that she was supposed to be in the dungeon. Smiling brightly, she walked forward. "Hi, I'm Lina, Gourry's traveling companion. You must be Princess Calfy."

The woman relaxed. "You're Gourry's friend?"

Lina nodded.

The princess frowned lightly but then tried to smile. "Sorry, Selvin didn't mention you. I had no clue you were coming."

Lina grinned widely. "I'm afraid me and him don't get along at all. He was so rude when we first met, I'm afraid I kept harassing him and as such he had only gotten ruder."

Calfy looked embarrassed. "Wow, you must not think much of him if he purposely didn't mention you."

Lina laughed. "Don't worry, I'm sure my big sister thinks similarly of me, it's no big deal. Believe me when I say I give as good as I get."

Calfy smirked. "I think you and I are going to get on famously. So start by calling me Callie, I think my first name sounds like cafe and I hate it."

Lina felt her lip quirk. "I understand; I don't care for my sorceress name at all."

Callie looked interested. "Why, what is it?"

Lina leaned forward, trying to seem fugitive. "It's pretty embarrassing."

Callie grinned, "You can tell me, I won't tell."

Lina tried to look serious. "You promise?"

Callie grinned wider. "I promise."

Lina leaned a little closer and whispered, "It's pink." She pulled away. "Can you imagine it? With my hair?"

Callie giggled, and then looked surprised. "You, Lina. May be just the person I needed to spend time with. Normally Gourry's the one who makes me laugh when I'm tense."

Lina nodded sympathetically. "Planning a wedding is hard."

Callie looked sad. "It doesn't help me and him can barely agree on anything." She seemed to realize Lina was still standing. "Oh, do sit down next to me... It seems we are a chair short..." As soon as she spoke, the servants swept into the room and added the extra place and chair without changing anything else.

If she hadn't been watching, she would have sworn it had been magic, they moved so fast. Seated next to Callie, she wasn't surprised when the princess' next question was about her brother, which put her in an awkward place. How much truth to tell? "Well, I wasn't with your brother the whole six years he was traveling, I've known him for four years."

Callie looked a little disappointed but said, "That fine, so tell me how you met him."

Lina felt a sly smile break across her face. "I had just beaten a band of bandits; and the last few of them wanted revenge and were about to attack me, and I was about to throw a Fireball when your brother jumped in, beating them. I watched, impressed by his skills... of course then the first thing he said when he saw me was, 'Oh great, it was just some kid.'"

Callie grinned. "He did? Really?"

Lina nodded. "Yep, those are his words... at least as I remember them. But because he was concerned for my safety he joined me and agreed to take me to Atlas City. Now along the way we fought a dragon and he realized I wasn't the helpless kid he thought, but he stayed. However when I had fought the bandits I picked up an item of value and we ended up fighting a lot of people over it. One of them became a friend. After we had defeated the leader, me and him met the Crown Prince of Saillune, and after a few adventures with him we ended up fighting the last loyal underling of the man we had defeated before."

Lina paused, and took a sip of the wine the servants were now pouring; Gourry, Selvin and the rest of the royals must have been on their way. "We fought some very powerful people and Gourry ended up kidnapped by a monster; I killed the monster and Gourry and I went on doing what we had been doing before. When the barrier came down we left after being hired by a golden dragon of a holy order to save the world. He lost the Sword of Light at the end of that fight. The next big adventure lead to us meeting the enchanted prince of Taforashia; we helped him bring Taforashia back from the stasis spell Rezo placed on it. Then we did some more running around and ended up in the same inn as Selvin - and you know the rest."

Callie looked at her carefully, "That wasn't very detailed."

Lina grinned. "Most of it isn't very nice to talk about, but do you want to hear something funny?"

Callie looked at her with amused consideration. "Does it have to do with my brother?"

Lina nodded, a smirk tugging on her lips.

"Start talking," said the princess.

"We met a fish girl in love with a human boy; they learned about a spell to transform a fish to a human, and we decided to help them out. But in order to get the key ingredient we needed a beautiful girl to lure the monster out, however, someone needed to do the spell to knock the monster out and as a sea monster it would have ignored a fish girl - so we dressed Gourry up as a girl, what's more, a mermaid. Of course to be fair I wasn't there for this, our travel companion Amelia was, she's the one who dressed him up like a mermaid. She told me about it after we met back up again."

Callie stared at her disbelievingly. "You mean your friend got my brother, Mister Swordsmen-Expert, super manly-man, a man among men, to look like a girl?"

Lina grinned widely at that description. "I've gotten him into a dress more than once. One time to help a friend we had to go somewhere where only girls were allowed."

Callie stared for a moment longer, and then just started howling with laughter. That was when one of the princes she hadn't met walked in: she guessed he was the oldest because he wore a small circlet with a sapphire in the middle on his head.

"Who is this, Callie? I haven't heard you laugh like that since before Gourry left."

Callie stopped laughing long enough to say, "This is Lina, she travels with Gourry." She tried to catch her breath. "She told me the funniest thing about Gourry." The princess then went on giggling.

The eldest prince looked at her questioningly, while Lina tried to get her breath back. Alberich, if this was he, was the prettiest man she had ever seen. Golden blonde hair flowed in wavy locks over his shoulders, his eyes matched the deep blue sapphire in the center of his golden circlet, the mild navy of his shirt just added to the poet prince appearance. All he needed was some armor and a white horse and he could have ridden right out of a story. Smiling, she said, "I only told her two of the times Gourry had to wear a dress, the third time... well, this was really the first time we got him in girls' clothes, he was proposed to and he was _so_ freaked out. It was hilarious."

Callie was back to laughing loudly while Alberich looked at her in complete disbelief. "My younger brother in a dress?"

She nodded. "We also got him to dress as a mermaid, that was even funnier."

Callie was gasping for breath; Alberich also started smiling. "You're serious?"

Lina bobbed her head enthusiastically. "The first time, we were avoiding a couple of bounty hunters."

Alberich smiled a soft but amused smile. "I think you'll be the main entertainment at lunch today, Gourry will be so annoyed."

Lina smirked, then smiled nicely. "You are the eldest prince, correct?"

Alberich looked startled and then apologized, "I'm sorry, yes I am Crown Prince Alberich."

Lina's smile widened. "Good, I didn't want to call you the wrong name by mistake."

Alberich seated himself at the top head of the table, and that was when another woman walked in: a strawberry blonde who looked confused to see another redhead at the table.

Alberich greeted her, "Cecilia my darling, this is Gourry's friend Lina. Lina, this is my wife Princess Cecilia De-Girard-La-fay."

Lina smiled at the willowy woman, who matched her husband's age but seemed almost pale in comparison to his golden glow. "It's nice to meet you, Princess Cecilia."

The woman, still mildly confused, sat at her husband's left. "It's pleasant to meet you Lina."

The doors opened again, and despite her high hopes it was the last brother she hadn't met: Prince Gerard. At least everyone was going to get to see Selvin freak out. That will be hysterical.

"Brother, I would like you to meet Lina, Gourry's companion."

The newest brother was the one with the heaviest build; still handsome, he seemed more of a... he man type? At least, he struck her as the type of man who was pushy and dominant. But it meant he was good at his job, she supposed. He, like the rest of family was blonde and blue-eyed, his eyes however almost seemed to have a gray undertone.

Then entered a much older man, probably the uncle, his eyes gray-blue and his blonde hair had a silvery tone to it. Nonetheless, Gerard looked a lot like him. The uncle noticed her and asked before someone could introduce her, "What's this girl doing here?"

"Uncle, this is Lina, Gourry's companion."

The older man stared at her, but said nothing more than, "I'm standing King Fabien La-fay."

Lina bowed her head, sensing this man wasn't like the rest of the family she had met so far; he was someone who had been king and was used to the respect not to mention he had been leader of the Royal Army for years as well. "It's an honor."

The man grunted, but moved to the far end of the table opposite to Alberich. This seating proved family politics were still going strong. That was when she noticed the silvery circlet he was wearing; the metal wasn't silver or white gold, probably platinum. It also had a sapphire in the center with two orange red stones flanking it. Very-very valuable.

"Where is Hubert, Callie?" Alberich's wife asked.

Callie answered and her eyes gave her relief away, "Hubert is busy today outside the city, Cecilia."

Everyone nodded and just before Lina broke the tense silence the doors opened again and Gourry entered, looking grumpy and wearing old fashioned clothes, with Selvin just behind him. Gourry saw her first and brightened, an amused smirk writing itself across his face.

Then Selvin spotted her. The doors clicked closed and then Selvin exploded. "How?! Impossible!" he continued to splutter and Lina couldn't stop herself, she laughed at him.

Gourry joined her, his laugh sounding a bit relieved, probably because he wouldn't have to break her out. Everyone else looked horribly confused except for Selvin who was growing redder and redder; the standing king didn't seem to like what he was seeing but trying to appease a stuffy old man was the last thing on her mind with Selvin so confused and angry. Gourry finally got a hold of himself, and sitting across from her he asked cheerfully, "So how long did it take you?"

Still giggling she choked out, "Less than ten minutes."

Gourry looked impressed and Selvin's mouth was moving but nothing was coming out. "That's like your best break-out time yet."

Lina shook her head. "I did about that well with Zangulus."

Gourry frowned. "Zangulus... Zangulus..."

"Guy with the stupid hat and the howling sword."

Gourry brightened. "Oh yeah! Him. You're right, it was about ten minutes."

Callie was staring at her and then at Gourry along with everyone else at the table; concern was being directed towards Gourry and confusion at her.

Finally, Selvin snapped, "You awful, horrible, scheming flat-chested witch!"

She was ready to laugh at him all the way until he said flat-chested - then she decided he was going to die. Standing slowly, she ignored Gourry shouting at her, trying to calm her down and convince Selvin to run for it.

"Lina, stop! Lina, calm down! He's just a kid! Don't kill him! Come on! Lina, look at me! Selvin that's it, you crossed the line, she's not going to hold back! Run for it! Lina, come on hold back a little for my sake, that's my little brother!"

'For him'- that did the trick. She glared at him and was glad to see him tremble; even if she was half-sure that was why he did it, the Dragon Slave was out of it. As was the Ragna Blade. But scaring the crap out of the little princeling was still very much on the menu. Walking around the table, Selvin stared at her, proud that he'd upset her - the little idiot had no clue.

Her hand snapped out. "Ice Bind Bullet!" Selvin leaped and it missed hitting the ground, but her second one caught him, trapping him to the floor. Acting quickly, she froze each of his hands. He wasn't getting away.

He looked nervous now, but bravery made him hold his chin high.

She ignored the opening doors as the two bodyguards peaked in wondering about the noise. Both made to step in and to stop her, but Gourry told them to stand down, "Don't bother, she'll do the same to you before you can help."

They looked from Gourry to her, and then to the king who didn't move to tell them what to do, but since he didn't move they stayed there and watched her advance on the foolish boy. Stopped a few inches from Selvin, she tried to get a grip as she had to watch what she said, but she needed to put the fear of Lina Inverse in this brat."You stupid, stupid child."

He protested, "I'm less than a year younger then you!"

"But you are still a child! Think! Do you have the power to beat me? Can you back up everything your smart mouth has said about me? I'm rude because I have the power to back it up. Your own brother isn't stopping me! You know why? Because at his best, with the Sword of Light in hand he couldn't. I got you with a tiny bit of shamanistic magic. I am an expert in black. Matter of fact, I am the best expert of Black magic. Someone of your level couldn't even touch me." She proved her point by melting the ice around him. "Here I'll give you a free shot, it won't hit."

Selvin stared at her, but then started moving his hands. She was pretty sure it was a Blam Blazer: powerful, but he wouldn't be able to cast more. She couldn't dodge without risking the family - however an overpowered Windy Shield would deflect it.

"Blam Blazer!"

"Windy shield!" Her snapped out spell knocked the blue beam sideways, where it hit the wall and disappeared.

Selvin panted, clearly that took a lot out of him and almost nothing out of her. She smirked at him. "That's a good spell, just think if I dodged..."

Selvin paled.

She laughed. "You are a stupid little child! It might help if you even knew who you were facing. But for that you would have to ask a girl her name."

Having blown enough steam off, she started walking back to her seat, but Gourry regrettably opened his mouth, "Wow, Lina you really held back."

Annoyed all over again for giving into his pleas, she stopped and smacked him over the head. "Lina, stop. Lina, calm down. He's just a kid. Don't kill him. Come on. Lina, come on hold back a little for my sake, that's my little brother." she mocked him. "What did you think I was going to do, Gourry?"

He looked sheepish; she grabbed him by the hair and started to pull, tilting his neck at a weird angle. "If anyone's going to die it's you!"

Then the guards still peeking inside were knocked to the floor as Rob came rushing in; he looked at Selvin, still standing where she had left him, surrounded by a puddle of water. "Prince Selvin.. Lina! She escaped from the Mage Cage!"

The whole family looked at her, the entire scene suddenly making sense.

Gourry snickered, and she let go of his hair to greet Rob, "Hi Rob, I hate to tell you but that 'Mage Cage' didn't take me more than ten minutes to get out of."

Rob suddenly noticed her and went horrible white. "Lina... How did..."

She smiled brightly. "Well, I would tell you but..."

Gourry groaned, "Please don't say it's a secret."

The memories of Xellos in the cell still fresh; she smacked Gourry, letting her anger mask her fear. "You idiot! Like I would say that!"

"Sorry-sorry it was just such a familiar start I couldn't help it!"

Then through the open doors a face entered that stopped her cold, and confused Gourry. "Sylphiel?"

**Thanks to my beta for this chapter Steven P. P**


	3. Chapter 3

**What's in a Memory?**

**Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it till it was on instant play, on Netflix. So it's not mine.**

**To Jack. of. the. Void. Wow. (blushing) Thanks. I am a dyslexic so I came to reading late and as such my story telling started out as me telling them to my sisters. I know when I'm working on a story I'm jumping from one character to other in this picture I have in my head, and when I'm writing I'm not only trying to help color in the picture I'm trying to be the character too. In other words like a director moving from one scene to the next I don't want there to be any confusion I didn't plan for. And yes I am nerdy enough to know what you mean about mage verses fighter class, that's one of the things that struck me when I first started watching Slayers last year. I was all "it's D&D and anime put together!" another funny thing is I got my sisters to watch it as well and they started comparing slayer characters to the party they were playing with at the time. (cough) moving on. I'm glad you think I've done that well in this fic. I hope this next chapter doesn't disappoint.**

**Chapter Three**

Lina made the same split second mistake. But this wasn't Sylphiel, this was a girl of eerie resemblance but it wasn't her. The hair didn't shine the same and the texture, hard to pick out in the rolled bun; was wavy, and the dark gray eyes were not Sylphiel's green. Not to mention there was a hauteur to this face that wasn't there in Sylphiel's. But then the girl's eyes landed on Gourry and she lit up.

A smile crossing her lips, she rushed forward gracefully. "Gourry!"

Lina could have hated her for being so beautiful, but she did hate her for lighting up like that at the sight of Gourry, this was the forgotten fiance. Lady Aella Zenia Rey. Another girl in love with him. Sylphiel, this girl and her, it was in danger of becoming a full fledged cat fight. At least she had the strongest claim, Gourry had promised to protect her... But family duty gave this girl an equal chance. It was simple, she hated her.

She was brushed aside, Aella took her place at Gourry's side and started babbling, sounding thrilled at his return.

"It's been so long Gourry, I don't understand why you never came back, so much has happened while you were gone."

Gourry stared at her blankly. "You are who?"

His whole family aside from Selvin freaked out, all had noticed he was acting 'weird' but this was the final straw.

"Gourry you've been acting strange ever since you arrived, what is wrong with you? Have you forgotten all manners?" The old man bellowed, cutting through everyone else's statements.

To his credit he sounded actually concerned, she just wondered if it was concern for his nephew or the reputation of the royal family. Gourry looked at his uncle a little blankly, she had to admit the sharpness she had noticed all the way here was being swamped by things he probably couldn't remember or remember clearly, making him distant.

"Selvin and the others the whole way here told me I wasn't myself but I don't know if their right or wrong. But really," he turned back to look at the hurt and confused Sylphiel look-a-like. "Who are you?"

Aella stared at him her eyes misting over, in a pathetic trembling voice she said, "You really don't remember me?"

Lina was annoyed by the girl's closeness. "Of course he doesn't, Gourry doesn't lie very often."

Gourry's eyes sharpened and he glared at her. "Since when have I ever lied?"

Lina smirked. "Well tricking people is the same as lying isn't it?"

Gourry glowered at her but didn't argue.

Aella spoke up, "You really don't know me?"

Gourry shook his head. Aella's voice rose in pitch, not a shriek but a high whine. "You don't remember I'm your fiance?"

Gourry looked away from the dramatic girl in front of him to her. "Lina what's a fiance?"

She couldn't help herself, she groaned. "You still don't remember? You've been told five or six times now! A fiance is someone you're gonna marry!"

Gourry made an oh with his lips and looked back to the girl. Then with a deadpan tone said, "Nope don't remember planning to marry you."

The girl wobbled, and it was sign Gourry wasn't himself, because he didn't try to steady her. Lina had to grab the empty chair and put it in front of her so the girl didn't fall on her, not quite a faint but close.

Then Selvin had to stick his foot in it and bring up his hypothesis. "That Uncle is why Lina was supposed to be locked up, I wanted to ease into telling everyone how clear it is our dear brother has been enchanted. And as this girl is a sorceress, it makes sense it's her."

Lina slumped and groaned aloud, "You little idiot, you are more of squid brain then he is and I thought that was impossible. Didn't I just prove if I had enchanted him how easy it would to put you under too? If I had put a spell on Gourry I would have put one on you too!"

Gourry spoke up, "Sel keep it up and I'll ask her to fireball you. She didn't enchant me for the last time!"

King Fabien spoke up, his stern face smooth, no emotions visible. "Lets first find out more about the young girl before we decide she's the one who did it. Now girl, you've given us your first name and some general information but lets get a last name."

Lina stared at him, there was no point to keeping it secret, Xellos knew she was here and was sure to tell whoever he was working with. "I am Lina Inverse."

That got some reactions, Gerard jerked forward a step from where he'd stood at his brother's right hand, Alberich was staring at her very hard, while the old king looked surprised and he looked from her to Gourry. The silence was broken by Selvin speaking up. "And this matters why?"

His whole family sighed, and Callie spoke up, "You really are an idiot Selvin, this is the last time we let you out of the castle for the next twenty years."

Alberich agreed, "You are the one going to dungeon Sel. Such stupidity."

"But I still don't understand who she is claiming to be!"

Lina sighed, it figured the stupid brat didn't even know her name, he hadn't asked it so why would he bother learning important names before setting out to find his brother? "I happen to be a sorcery genius, an expert in black magic as well as good in every other kind save white. I also am known as the bandit killer, enemy of all who live and so on and such forth, the point is brat if you weren't Gourry's brother you would be dust."

King Fabien added his part, "Maybe you weren't paying attention Selvin but the latest feat she is linked to is the return of Taforashia. I guess that means Gourry was there as well..."

Everyone looked at Gourry he seemed to be thinking hard. "Lina is that where we met Sirius?"

She groaned again. "No you jellyfish, Pokota! Prince!"

Gourry snapped his fingers. "Those stupid ears!"

She nodded. "Yeah, the stuffed animal."

Gourry bobbed his head. "Yeah I was there, wasn't much fun for most of it, someone was in a bad mood."

Lina narrowed her eyes at him. "I wonder why."

"The real point Sel." Alberich said, "Is rather then wasting her time playing games enchanting people she could just kill us and skip off. Very little we could about it."

Lina couldn't help but smile and bask a bit in the respect that implied. "Why yes, I probably could."

The room was quiet till Rob behind her asked, "If you're that powerful why did you...?"

She smirked. "Not blow you up? Run away? Bewitch you? Because I was curious; Gourry hadn't told me he was a prince and I wanted embarrass him a little bit. Driving his brother mad was fun but then I noticed... Gourry is under a spell, but to take it off it would take more gentleness then I normally use and am practiced in."

The room was silent till Callie piped up a small smile on her lips, "Well with the stories you told me and Alberich I think you have gotten revenge."

Gourry's eyes went wide and he looked between the two named siblings. "What did she tell you?"

Callie cackled. "Only something about dresses, a proposal and being a mermaid."

Gourry frowned and looked at the ceiling blankly, but Lina could see the pink starting on his cheeks and the back of his neck. "You faker! You know what I told her!"

Gourry pasted his most innocent expression on, but she just laughed. "Too late I saw through the act!"

Gourry gave up, slumping he pouted. "You sick twisted person, why did you tell them about that?"

Lina shrugged. "Maybe next time you'll tell me things rather then letting me surprised."

Gourry sighed. "Let it go Lina, it just never seemed important."

Lina sighed back. "Gourry your brother tried to throw me in a dungeon, because as a prince having control over you is a big deal, so yes it is important."

He spread his hands. "Well it's not like I planned on being found by a search party."

Lina gave him that one.

Aella spoke up to Lina's surprise. "If you need someone skilled in magic but with a soft touch my mother is very skilled."

Everyone looked at Aella before Gerard agreed, "It's true Lady Desdemona Rey is known for her white magic."

Lina shrugged, she had never heard of the woman. "Call her here then."

The room was silent for a minute before Gourry asked, "Where's mother or grandma?"

Everyone turned and glared at Sel, but Lina noticed Rob and the bodyguards edging out of the room, bad news then.

Alberich looked away from Sel back to Gourry. "Gourry I hate to tell you like this but Grandma died two years after you left, about year after that mother remarried and moved to Kal-maart."

Gourry seemingly didn't react to the news about his grandmother but his face looked thoughtful hearing where his mother had moved to. "Funny we were just there."

Concerned by his non reaction, she knew that would wait till they were alone.

"She'll coming to the wedding along with countless others." Callie said, sounding tired by the thought.

That's when it occurred to her. "Hey when is the wedding?"

"Six weeks from now, in three dignitaries might start showing up. The before party is in five weeks."

Lina nodded. "Wow, not too far off then, now is it?"

Callie shrugged. "We still haven't decided on the cake, my dress isn't done, and Hubert won't agree with me on the food to serve."

Wow, not a match made in heaven then. Lina kept that thought to herself, maybe now that the drama was over they could eat. "So now that everyone knows what's going can we eat?"

There was silence in the room, but Alberich broke it, "I don't see why not."

Lina skipped back to her seat, she would have to behave as well as she ever did, it was going to be a long two months... She hoped it wouldn't take that long to figure out what was going on, but she wasn't holding out much hope; Xellos knew how to keep a secret and there were so many things that it could be, she only had Gourry as a starting place. The moment everyone was seated servants with food swept in. Lina took her first course and finished it as quickly as was polite, she and Gourry took seconds. The second course came in and Lina noticed Kara, she made sure to wink at the girl who was subtly ogling Gourry. The young girl flushed but gave her a small smile back.

The table talk during the food being served so far had been polite table talk, Gourry was having his ear talking off by Aella. Callie was sitting quietly next to her. Alberich, Gerard and Cecilia were talking quietly at the far end of table. Fabien was watching her and Gourry, then watching the rest of the table. Selvin was sulking in his seat and eating quietly. Lina wondered where the children were, and where Gerard's wife was. She supposed the child or more likely children were too young to be polite the whole time at a meal and therefor ate in a play room or something. Then Fabien spoke up, "Ms. Lina I understand you are my nephew's friend and would never enchant him but since tongues will wag will you accept a light guard? Only one guard in the castle and two if you leave castle grounds?"

Lina noted the man's polite tone and the way it was phrased as a question but the steely look in his eyes warned her if she didn't agree, odds were good she'd spend the next week in the dungeons unconscious; the only truly safe way to store a magic user. "Of course sir. I don't mean any harm and if it stops any rumors all the better."

That was a lie, she knew it was the standing king's way of watching her at all times, he wasn't fool. He knew Gourry was enchanted for a reason, and, to him, she was the most likely candidate no matter what she and Gourry said.

Only the end closer to the standing king had stopped talking but Lina noted Alberich and Gerard had noticed the order and her response to it. Lina realized for the first time as used to games as she was, as used to doubting everyone as she was; this might just be the biggest and hardest game yet, and as Xellos told her Gourry might just be the prize. She wasn't just a pawn or a knight this game she might be a rook. Gourry would be the king... She looked about the table, she didn't know the others on the board well enough to which piece they would be.

But Alberich might end up being the queen or of course so could Aella. She just didn't know enough, she'd need to go gather information by gossiping. She knew Gina would be friendly, Harvard would talk to her freely, Kara would talk... she needed to make more friends. She simply didn't know enough.

Third course came in and she decided not to save Gourry, if she had to say anything for the girl it was that she was stark raving mad for Gourry, it actually was a bit frightening. But Gourry either decided he didn't like her because she talked too much or because he didn't want to marry her. Lina knew she needed to talk to him, she just was sure she wouldn't get a chance for a while. Aella was giving all the signals of a jealous girl and Lina knew unless she beat the strange girl she wasn't going be allowed to claim Gourry's time before her.

But she also had made a good start off with Callie. Turning to the older woman next to her she smiled charmingly. "Callie can you tell me more about the city? I barely saw any of it today but what I saw competes with Saillune in beauty. They're different styles, but I like both."

Callie looked away from where she had been watching Fabien talking to Selvin. "More about the city? What do you want to know?"

Lina smiled, this was good. "More about the gardens in the courtyard, I know some of the plants and flowers we saw coming in, but not all of them. Who planted them?"

Callie looked excited, and Selvin spoke up, "You asked the wrong person Lina, now she won't stop talking about the garden."

"Shut it, you." Callie glared at her younger brother before turning back to her. "Our great-grandmother planned the garden in a time of drought so we could sell the spices and medicines for food and other things we needed. Since then it's kinda become tradition for the oldest female of the line to care for the garden. So if you want to, after lunch we can go and walk the garden and I can answer your questions then."

"I'd like that, if you're not busy." Lina made sure she had eaten everything off her plate she could without licking it clean, lucky for her then someone took the hint and gave her seconds. Digging in she knew she'd have to stop in the kitchens and give her complements to the chef. She was on her third plate when Callie commented, "Was Selvin not feeding you or something?"

Looking around she realized all of the table save Gourry and Selvin, were subtly watching her eat, her manners were fine but the amount she was eating... She giggled sheepishly. "Magic takes a lot of energy, my appetite matches the amount I spend. Besides Gourry eats like I do."

Everyone there smirked or laughed, and Alberich laughingly told her, "He's eaten like that his whole life."

She grinned back, "Oh, really?" She turned to Gourry who was wincing. "See it's not my fault you eat so much!"

He groaned. "Why did I let you come with me?"

She ignored the faint feeling of hurt that remark brought forth. "Maybe because you didn't have a choice? After Sel told me you were a prince, and you hadn't told me for so long, you had to bring me home."

Gourry hid his face in his hands, as dessert came in. Lina gave up harassing him for dessert, the rest of the meal went on almost totally normally, minus the normal fighting she and Gourry usually did over sweets. The moment the meal was over, everyone got up and seemed to go off to do their own thing. Fabien and Alberich walked off together talking about someone's complaint. Cecilia walked off presumably towards the child's room. Selvin was hauling Gourry away to the tailor's since the clothes he was wearing were actually his fathers. Gerard was talking to some guards, and she a feeling it was about her. Callie touched her arm. "Still want to go to the gardens?"

Lina grinned, the momentary lost feeling disappearing. "You bet."

Standing with Callie, they walked out the doors and to Lina's horror three men walked over the guards Gerard had been talking to, two of them were the men she met outside the door, the third was a new man. He looked thirty and had strange blue-black eyes. He gave her the creeps, but she had agreed for someone to follow her, so she didn't say anything, just paced herself to Callie's graceful gait. The guards had been doing this for a long time. Just far enough away for privacy, but close enough to get there in time for most anything save monsters or super powered assassins. Not that Lina thought any were after her at the moment.

Callie stopped walking after they entered a small corridor protected by small trees, no one not behind or in front of them would see anything. Her eyes glistening, she asked in a harsh whisper; "Has Gourry been like the whole time you've known him?"

Lina sighed. "Today wasn't his normal; normally he's cheerful and dumber then that. I always thought he just was a dumb blond. Save his skill with swords and an intuitive grasp of how my mind works, he's never done anything that made me think he was anything other then an idiot."

Callie took some deep breaths. Seemingly calming herself, but after what Lina just saw she wasn't sure it wasn't just an act being put on. Callie was either a lot more hot tempered then she knew, or was under a lot more pressure.

Lina decided to go on talking testing Callie's reactions. No matter how much she liked the woman on first impression, that didn't mean anything. She'd liked Alfred. "So it was only when Sel and the others showed up and were talking about how strange he was acting - the inconsistencies I had dismissed before seemed to make sense. I kinda wonder if it happened before he met me in those two years I know very little about, or if it happened here."

Callie looked at her sharply for that, and asked the obvious question, "What makes you think that?"

"Gourry told me he took the Sword of Light because he hated the fighting over it. I can believe he'd leave because of it, but stealing the heirloom? That doesn't sound like the Gourry I know."

Callie was looking at her oddly.

"What?"

"You must know a brother very different from the one I know. He is kind, a gentlemen, a man greatly admired. But he's cold. That's what makes him seem so strange. From five years old and on, after he embarrassed father, he was always so deliberate about everything he did. He became the best swordsman he could because he didn't want to shame father again. Before he left he had agreed to marry Aella to keep everyone happy and he was going to take up the title of Knight. The fighting was over. He was going to carry it. That was part of why everyone was so alarmed when he and it went missing. It didn't make sense."

Lina internally reeled, Gourry was going to be end the fight by giving in? Then why take the Sword of Light? Whatever happened to make him loose his memory happened that day... probably. Dazed he took the sword with him and after his remaining memories sorted themselves out he thought he took it to end the fighting. But he would have been vulnerable after getting hit with something like that if not out cold. Why did they just kill him? Or take him some where? Had Gourry escaped before full effects kicked in?

But that didn't make sense either, he probably took the sword with him because he thought he'd need it. He had stumbled in on the plot, planned to kill or defeat the one behind it and failed... only to be let loose with the Sword of Light and missing memories? Why let him go? If it was a plot to take over, killing one of the princes only made sense. Unless it had been way too early... but that still didn't make sense. It wasn't that hard to kill someone and get rid of the body.

Gourry had to have escaped. But how? Monsters were involved and half-dazed they would run you down easy. If you even remembered to keep running.

On the outside Lina smiled at Callie. "The idea of Gourry being cold, sounds laughable. But so does him being smart."

She found the only thing she knew of the two years before she met Gourry bothering her. Gourry had ended up in Sairaag, in a bad way, and he remembered Sylphiel's name. Not much to go on, but how in the names of the Dark Lord did he get from here to Sairaag?

Callie smiled, stress still clear on her face. "I suppose having seen him today, I can understand that."

She didn't know of anything save a monster's power that could maybe move you so far. Even then it would almost have to be a Dark Lord to move that far, one person or not. However, she had found spells no one else used, and Gourry did in theory have a large magical capacity. That was why he was such a good match for the Sword of Light. But if he'd had a good memory, why hadn't he become the family Wizard or whatever? A spell (the only random idea she could think of to support her theory about why Gourry was allowed to wander with a bad memory and the Sword of Light) like that would have come from a Claire Bible Manuscript.

Where had he gotten his hands on one?

Xellos had his side mission in life to destroy all of them. He was here and odds were good he had been here for a long time.

Lina laughed. "You think he was being stupid today? You should have seen him the countless times me and the others named a Dark Lord or a famous monster and he just stared at us blankly. Or the time we were forced to travel with a monster and Gourry randomly realized the monster was more then a thousand years old."

Callie grinned. "When Gourry's back to normal I'm going to have to tease him endlessly. Dressed as a girl, being a totally idiot. I have enough blackmail for years."

Lina laughed, but inside she was worried. What would a smarter cooler Gourry have to say to her? Would she just be a brat he traveled with? A friend? An ally? Would he still have feelings for her? Did she even dare think of hoping for that?

Callie changed the subject, "What would you like to know about the garden?"

Lina looked around and said, "Starting with that..."

**That Evening**

Lina found out as it was a full family dinner minus the dowager queen and Callie's fiance so she was expected to put something other then her travel rags on. Lucky for her Callie as a young teen had been a taller version of her; so a quick hem job and she had a nice out-of-date dress to wear, she had to be careful which of Callie's dresses she wore, not all of them would look good on her. However she had a seen a silver one she was dying to have. The soft creamy yellow one she was wearing was more appropriate to tonight than the silver one. That one was a full on formal, but she figured if she hung around long enough she'd need a formal. Callie had seemed to be glad to give her the old fashioned dresses, if Callie wasn't careful she might claim a lot more of them.

Gourry entered the dinning room with Aella clinging to his side. The flattering silver and lavender number she was wearing didn't go with Gourry's somber navy. Lina couldn't help but take in his color choices and compare it to his face. All in all, it added up to a very unhappy Gourry.

She was pleased that his eyes lingered on her and not in a help-me way. He seemed to like the soft color and the slim lines of the dress on her.

Then in walked the wife she hadn't met, deep chocolate hair, stern violet eyes, and a fit body in a blue and purple floral dress.

Lina found the woman, however normal in appearance, to be threatening. Maybe it was the way she looked over the room, or the light steps. The way her arms weren't limp at her sides but instead seemed ready for anything. Whatever it was, Lina got the feeling this woman wasn't the normal noble women before marrying Gerard. Of course that kinda made sense, that prince wouldn't have needed to marry out of duty and if he married it likely was out of choice. Filing that titbit of information away for later she did her best to hide the instinctive reaction to her.

But aside from privately making a bet the woman was a former assassin, dinner was utterly dull.

Heading back to her room with her escort Lina found herself back to worrying for Gourry, the idiot. A sister who might know more then she's saying, older brothers with questionable interests, a younger brother totally clueless about everything going on and a fiance he doesn't remember who seems to be in love with him. Of course she was worried, but until her name was cleared she was being kept away from him.

It was sad and little strange. She wanted to have a chance to say a few more things before he got his memories back. She just had a feeling she needed to say goodbye to her brainless-blond-first-love. He wasn't going to be the same afterwards. She, on one hand, was sure she'd still be in love with him, unless, of course, he turned out to be an older colder Selvin. She had a feeling the things she loved him for would still be there, underneath everything that weighed him down as a responsible prince, but his feelings, not that she knew for sure what they were anyway, were almost a hundred percent likely to change. His whole view point was going to change, naturally his feelings would too.

The door to her room clicked shut behind her. Lina looked over the room again, a large bed, one entrance, a window that had been magicked unbreakable she was betting from the odd glow to the glass, a small bathroom with everything, even a small tub. The desk, chair, wardrobe, bed frame, and couch were all carved with the same soft flowing lines that complemented the soft sea-green-blue of the walls. The fabrics were a mix of darker blues and greens with soft creams thrown in. Over all she had nothing to complain about in the change in cells, she could escape this one too, but saw no reason too.

She started changing into pajamas, she took her hair down from the soft twist Callie's maid had helped her put it up in. Brushing her hair out, Lina couldn't help but be aware of what was likely building. This was going to be a hard fight and she didn't seem to have her normal allies at hand. She was likely to loose Gourry no matter how this turned out. She set the brush down and ignored the hot tears in her eyes, she was going to bed.

**Next Day **

Getting up bright and early she pulled one of the few sets of clothes she carried with her from the wardrobe where they had been set the day before. White shorts, a mint colored tank, and a second sand colored tank, a belt to strap the talismans to her - she felt silly. Xellos was going to attack when she was least expecting it. It was the only way it was going to go, but she felt like she'd be tempting his partner if not wearing them. Tying her head band on she opened the door to find a new guard at her door. "Good morning, what's your name?"

The poor man jumped not having noticed the door behind him opening. As he turned she caught sight of shy green eyes, and light sandy brown hair framing the cute face. He looked far too nice to be a guard, but she supposed he had his reasons for becoming one.

"I'm Alex, Ms. Inverse."

She smiled and laughed trying to put the poor boy at ease. "Don't call me Ms. Inverse call me Lina."

It worked, sorta, he flushed and almost dropped his spear. "If you say so, Ms. Lina."

She tried to ignored the awkward feeling of being older than someone her own age. "So where's breakfast?"

He decided to explain a few things to her, "If you're asking to be taken to the royal dinning room, that's not where breakfast is. It's in the public dinning hall. Any dignitaries and visitors eat there. It's a buffet style, people come and go. It works best since in the morning everyone has their own jobs to do. Lunch is like that too. Yesterday was the exception for the Royal Family, with everything going on I'm sure there will be more, and if you're suppose to eat there, you'll be notified. Dinner is different and more formal. Being the Prince's friend, you'll probably be eating with the family. No one too important is here yet, so dinner will stay small until others show up. Then it'll be moved to the dinning hall."

Lina nodded taking that in, she had a feeling Alex could be very helpful.

"Lead me to the food!"

Alex smiled nicely and turned, leading the way. Several hallways later she knew she going to be lost forever without a guide, then Alex stopped and pointed her through a doorway, "Breakfast is in here."

Stepping in she could smell all the good food, rushing up to the buffet she filled a plate and sat down to eat. Only to find an amused looking crown prince smirking at her. Remembering her manners she put the plate on the table and picked up her knife. No shoveling food down her throat this morning. After a few bites she decided greeting him would be polite. "Good morning Prince Alberich."

"Call me Prince Al, Alberich is too long."

Smiling, she got the feeling the prince was only easy going to throw people off. His relaxed manners reminded her of Gourry, so she went with it. "Thanks Prince Al." Looking about the room she noted aside from the prince's bodyguards and hers they were alone. "What's everyone else doing this morning?"

Al took a bite, chewed than shrugged. "I think Gourry went to the stables. Aella is probably following him. Cecilia is with the children. Callie's doing something for the wedding... a fitting, I think. My middle brother and his wife... who knows. Selvin isn't up yet. But when he gets up, he has some studying to do. As you saw last night his spell work needs to improve. That's why that spell took so much out of him. Unable to form the energy properly, he channels more then he needs to into it. Or at least that's what his tutors have told me."

Lina knew most people liked talking about their children so she asked about his, "So, I know you have a kid for sure, do you have a second one?"

Al smiled, a glint of pride clear in his eyes. "My daughter is the eldest and named Adelaide for her paternal grandmother, Galiena for a friend of her mother's, Chantal for her maternal grandmother. She'll be turning seven in about three weeks, thats why foreign dignitaries could show as early as then. My son, the heir to the throne; turned three two months ago. He's named Lyle after Lionel my mother's second husband, Royce after my father, and Gerard after my closest brother."

Lina smiled, glad she wasn't a royal she didn't have to have three names on top of a family name. "Strong names. Seven and three... you must be proud."

Al nodded. Lina knew her impression of him was correct by the way Prince was analyzing her back. She scraped the last fork full off her plate, then took seconds from the table. With her back to the prince she spoke softly, "Any clue who would want Gourry to forget something? Any idea of why either?"

She heard the chair shift and the prince answered quickly. "Only I hope it's you. Other wise I have no clue."

Lina smirked. "Thanks for the vote of confidence. When is Aella's mother getting here?"

"Tomorrow."

Lina held in a sigh, she had to see Gourry today or it would be too late. She wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't have one last moment with her sweet idiot. Taking her newly filled plate to the table she reclined in the chair. Al was watching her from the corner of his eyes, but there was a thoughtful feel to his cool poker face. Rather abruptly Al asked, "If my brother seemed the total airhead why did you take to traveling with him?"

Lina chewed slowly buying time, the answer was a little complicated. "I suppose for several reasons. I've never.. got on well with most people. The companion I had been traveling with left me after discovering how powerful I could be. I was going to blow Gourry off when I found out he has no small skill with the sword. Then with the fact he wasn't scared of how powerful I was, and he offered to stay with me... Later it was because he had the Sword of Light and hadn't backed down no matter what. Now it's because we're friends, good ones. Even if he changes his mind about me, I'm not leaving until I know why he lost his memory and who did it."

Al was sitting slightly slumped to the side, seemingly relaxed, but the tenseness in his fisted hands and the tightness of his shoulders didn't go unnoticed.

Lina went on eating, coming to the realization the prince had been waiting for her here in the dinning room, wanting some time to talk to her alone.

Al let his right hand fall from it's fist against his face to the table top, he began tapping his fingers. "In other words, if we find out tomorrow you didn't brainwash him, you declare yourself his bodyguard till the traitors to the throne are vanquished."

Lina shrugged. "Basically."

Prince Al stood, standing over her in an almost threatening manner he said, "I hope for your sake then you are sincere, because if you're lying... The punishment you face will be permanent."

Lina didn't bother looking up from her plate, "Good thing I am then. But that doesn't help you much, does it?"

Her only answer was the sound of his footsteps as he left the room, but it was answer enough. She just found herself hoping which ever royal was in on this, it wasn't him. She liked him, he cared for his family. With a sigh she rose for thirds.

**At Dinner**

Lina glanced across the table. Gourry was sitting where he had the day before, his fiancee at his side. He looked rather grumpy, but then again so was she. Despite her best efforts, she had failed to get him alone long enough to talk. She had spent a lot of time wandering the castle. Odds were good she wouldn't need directions any more. The only things she had learned from the staff were about the childhoods of the royal siblings and the normal troubles of running a large castle. Oh and things between Callie and Hubert were really bad.

Lina didn't know him well enough to know what Callie's problem with him was, it wasn't that he was old and ugly. Clearly within five years of Callie's age, his red-brown hair made him stand out among the blondes of the royal family, as did his favorite shades of green. His brown eyes seemed normal enough. But maybe Callie's problem with him was the fact he seemed rather bland personality wise. She sighed, he hadn't talked about anything interesting so far.

His voice was nice enough to listen to though.

Of course if Gourry was Callie's favorite brother and if he'd been colder before having his brain scrambled, maybe Callie like men more aloof but not arrogant. In court you would be likely to find plenty of men pretending to be aloof but it would be arrogance. Of course maybe she just wanted someone to make her laugh.

Lina held in a second sigh while digging into her forth plate of the main dish. Gourry wasn't much of a laugh tonight, he seemed annoyed and stressed. Plus Lady Desdemona was suppose to be here in the morning, early or late they hadn't received word yet, just that she should arrive before noon. She should sneak into his rooms and have that talk.

Lady Aella though... she seemed desperately unhappy. She had seemed to light up upon seeing Gourry the day before and she had been spending as much time as possible with him. She had been horse back riding with him, then for lunch they had been sat beside one another and she had demanded Gourry talk about his travels. Gourry had managed to dredge up a few funny times without touching on most of the serious times.

But the times he remembered concerned her.

They were all early in their travels, but after they had met up. Had he been thinking back trying to remember when he'd lost his memory? Or had it just been the fact his mind had been coming back to him even before they got back here?

To be fair though looking back that first week with Amelia was really funny. At the time it had been really annoying but now... after all they'd been through together? It was just funny. Of course she and Gourry hadn't seen them in year, not since Taforashia. And Rezo. Pokota... she had to wonder if he was still in that stuffed body. Odds were good he was. She didn't know how he could get a body when his had not only been taken over by Rezo, but then destroyed when they killed Rezo and the ghost of Shabranigdu. Not to mention that had been when Rezo told Zel he didn't know how to give him a human body again. Last she knew he had set sail hoping to find a way else where.

Dessert at last.

Lina grinned up at Kara, the maid gave her a quick smirk back. Lina liked Kara; she wasn't stupid and well she had never left the city she was well read. Sefren was interesting, he had become her afternoon guard, Alex having completed his watch. Sefren as it turned out was from the Outer world he had been a mercenary on a ship and he'd washed up on the coast after falling off during a storm. He was pretty sure his ship had sunk, but with no one to return to he had made a home for himself here.

The other taste bit of gossip she had learned was about the dowager Queen, it turned out she had been the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The Dead King, known as King or Duke Royce outside the borders of Elmekia had been uninterested in the normal Nobles. His parents were desperate to get him to marry so they offered to a host a month long ball open to any able to pay a certain amount. Lots of toes had been stepped on there.

But how did that apply to what had happened to Gourry?

Or Xellos? Why was he here? What was in it for the Monster race?

Dinner was over. Lina just managed to stand in time so she could exit the room at the same time as everyone else. Gourry was walking away from the royal wing so she knew he wasn't going to bed right away, she figured she could slip into his room and wait for him there. Sefren a step behind her she seemingly set off for her room, then half way back to her room she turned and made for the library. She had found out where that was in her explorations and supposedly each royal had their own study that held even rarer books. Grabbing one of the books she had been eyeing earlier she then turned to Sefren and demanded he take her to Gourry's room.

"I don't..."

"Your orders likely were as simple as don't let me out of your sight, everyone else is supposed to run interference. So taking me to Gourry's room is perfectly fine, I don't even care if you stay there and over hear the whole conversation. It's not going to matter in the long run, I just want a chance... I have something to say before tomorrow."

Sefren sighed, but nodded and slowly lead the way to Gourry's room.

Reaching the room, she entered and discovered herself standing in a comfortable sitting room with three other doors. She poked around enough to find a fourth door almost hidden behind a display of swords; That was the bedroom with another door likely leading to the bathroom. The other two rooms were a study and a room that probably once upon a time had been a training room, she figured that because it had a mirror on one wall and padding resting against the wall.

Setting herself down out sight of the door she reclined on the couch, Sefren was sitting in the small wooden chair set against the wall. Lina lifted the book up like she was reading it, but aside from flipping the pages she gave it no further thought. She just didn't know what to say to Gourry.

She couldn't tell him she... cared for him the way he was. She wouldn't tell him how afraid she was that he wouldn't keep his promise with his mind restored. She didn't dare admit this was her good bye to her best friend. Gourry wouldn't like it and when he remembered it from a different point of view no doubt he would think her a fool. Gourry needed her to be calm and this was probably her best chance to update him about why she feared for his life.

Realizing the door was opening she set her book down and listened as Gourry not too politely told Aella to go away. He shut the door firmly and turned around clearly intending to go to bed when he saw her. He was surprised and she could see the innocence that always had alternately amused and annoyed her. Even as his face split into a happy smile, she wondered if that was what would really change. Naiveness like that couldn't survive being royalty. Ignoring the ache she smiled back at him as he flung himself down casually into chair across from her. As always he knew what she was thinking. Not sure how to start, she figured harassing him would be a good place to go from. "She's persistent."

Gourry groaned, and slumped deeper into the chair. "You have no idea. She's followed me all day. It's really annoying, and she didn't take any hints. It's almost like..."

He sat up straighter, then after staring at his knees for a moment he looked up at her something muddled on his face. "That girl who swore revenge..."

Lina sighed. "Martina."

"Yeah her, she follows me like Martina followed you. Only no proclamations of getting revenge. Or calling on some weird monster thing."

She stayed quiet, Gourry knew why she was there or at least could guess. The point was proven when Gourry looked at her serious face and move to sit upright. "This memory thing is really serious, isn't it?"

Giving him a half hearted glare, she flung her arm over the back of the couch trying to relax a bit. "Of course it is. I've been cuffed every day until today by Selvin. I have guards following me around. I got chucked in the dungeon. Your family ran interference so I couldn't talk to you today. Tomorrow... Tomorrow even if you don't want to think it, you are going to change."

Gourry made a face, and he leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. Staring at her earnestly he asked and half pleaded: "Lina, can't you just trust me when I say I won't change?"

Rolling her eyes she answered. "I know it seems that simple now, but if this Desdemona can break the spell you're going to have lot more in your head. Even if you don't want to, you're gonna change. Having new or old new information is like that. I didn't think as hard about using _it_ the first time fighting Rezo as I did using _it_ the next two times. Information changes things. Now you need to listen to me."

Letting her eyes bore the importance of what she was going to say into him, she waited for him to nod.

It took a minute and he seemed annoyed with her, but he reluctantly nodded.

"Gourry, someone made you forget for a reason. If you don't remember it right away and call them out on it they are going to want to make sure you never can. Someone at some point is going to try to kill you, I find myself glad Zuuma is off the market. But I don't know who, I don't know why and I can't even promise that I'll be there to back you up right away. SO you had damn well better plan on being alert."

Gourry nodded, but then went back to the argument about whether he would change or not. "I still don't think I'm going to change. I'm still going to be me... just more me."

Lina smirked, what a winning argument. "I don't disagree, Gourry, but you'll remember being tied to a country, a family and duty. Protecting me came after all that."

Gourry frowned ready to keep arguing, it seemed he really didn't want to change. It warmed her to know he didn't want to change, that he wanted things to stay the same between the two of them.

But there was no way that could happen. Standing, she smiled at him. "Gourry, it doesn't matter whether you change or not. Until I know why someone made you forget, I'm not going any where."

He relaxed a little, and she sudden just had to get out of there. She didn't want to say anything stupid, and she felt perilously close to doing just that. Grabbing the book she walked to the door, turning around she let a soft smile come to her lips. "Gourry, you had better not do anything stupid."

He nodded and his only answer was a goodnight.

"Goodnight, Gourry." With that she exited the room, leading Sefren straight back to her room. Shutting the door behind her, leaving Sefren in the hall she let the confusing mass of hurt, fear, frustration, concern and general unhappiness take over.

Slumping to the floor she was startled when the book fell from her hand, she had grabbed it so it would look like she was doing something while waiting for Gourry to come back. She had chosen a book she did want to read, but it wouldn't help where it mattered. Gourry wasn't going to be the same. Xellos was out there, involved in a plot that likely would require Gourry's death.

Feeling tears welling she forced herself to get up and get ready for bed, at least if she cried in bed she could muffle any sounds with the pillow.

**DarkShadowedRose here and as of yet this chapter has not been beta'd so any and all mistakes noted are mine.**


	4. Chapter 4

**What's in a Memory?**

**Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it till it was on instant play, on Netflix. So it's not mine.**

**Chapter Four**

Lina let awareness creep over her body slowly, she had been up late the night before and she had been restless while sleeping. Today was not a day she was looking forward to. Finally deciding to rise she washed up and dressed carefully. Ready for breakfast she opened her door, ignoring the book on the floor where she had dropped, she stepped out into the hall. The guard standing there was one she already knew. It was Lynch.

"Good morning."

He smiled politely returning her greeting. Walking to breakfast she ate quickly, finding herself with nothing to do she went back to her room to read the book she had taken the night before. It had been more then an hour probably closer to two when Alex ran in. "Ms. Lina! Lady Rey is here, she's cleaning up before removing the spell from Prince Gourry. King Fabien has ordered your presence in the large family room."

Lina leapt to her feet barely noticing the book's thump on the ground. Alex turned and promptly lead the way, Lynch behind her. Entering this new room (five hallways and a staircase later) Lina first noted the whole family aside from the children were there. Then she noted the room held some of the blue shades so common around the castle but this room also had a soft shell pink as a contrast. It was a large comfortable room, lots of sofas, a couple of chairs, three low tables and half a dozen book shelves. Then she went to stand by the window where she could watch the rest of the room closely and be (judging by where Gourry was sitting) at this woman's back. After all if you could break a spell you could cast a spell.

The others had gone back to what they were doing since her entrance and she took advantage of such to watch them. She was looking for anyone who look nervous. Hubert looked uncomfortable sorting through wedding stuff with Callie, Gourry looked very nervous. He had seemed to have relaxed a little seeing her in here. He'd probably worried she'd been tossed in the Dungeon again. Aella was sitting with Gourry on the couch and she looked very worried but from the way her eyes rested on Gourry it was clear she was only worried for him.

Everyone else seem to be trying to be busy. Fabien and Al were pouring over some papers, Gerard was talking with his wife who was covering her husband's back by keeping an eye on her. Lina smirked at the woman watching her, Elicia didn't tense but merely blinked slowly at her. But once again Lina felt a shiver work it's way down her spine. That woman was lethal, the way she watching her husband's back, protecting him from the perceived threat - her. She wasn't a normal noble woman. Dumping her back around at the spy-ninja-assassin theory. Cecilia was doing some needle point, seeming relaxed if not for the sharp glance she was casting around the room every third stitch. Sel was staring at her pointedly, as if trying to make her feel guilty.

Lynch and Alex had stayed outside the room but the personal bodyguards for the Kings were there and watching her closely. Mentally she snorted, as if they could stop her. The real danger for a Sorceress was an archer, an arrow flew faster then a spell. That was why Sorceresses trained such they didn't stay still. Of course they were use to more normal spell casters not too many could cast such high level spells silently.

Time was ticking away very slowly but at the same time it felt like she was moving too fast. Gourry. Gourry as she knew him was going to vanish any second now and she was just standing there! Taking a calming breath she forced herself to feel amusement at Gourry's irritation towards Aella who was chattering non-stop at him. That was the moment the door swung open, the woman that entered was beautiful. Softly curled bangs hung in her face framing the deep blue-violet eyes, not the gray her daughter had. The rolled bun that Lina had noticed was the normal hair style of the nobility here and showed very little silver, the skin was very young. Lady Desdemona Tethys Rey. Aella's mother. The woman had to be a lot older then her body and face suggested, but the youth she had seemed... unnatural. The woman was eerie, it almost seemed as if she had stopped aging.

Keeping her disturbing thoughts to herself Lina knew she could throw a fireball at the first sign of trouble. Barely noting the way the guards moved to be closer to her, she focused on what Desdemona was doing to Gourry. She had gotten him to lay down making Aella move off the couch, now she seemed to be focusing for a spell.

The silence in the room stretched and was broken by everyone inhaling when Desdemona moved and touched Gourry with a softly glowing hand. Gourry tensed and his body went from mildly tense to a taunt bow string, his hands fisted and his lips pressed together. Lina knew he was in serious pain. She wanted to attack the woman but she also knew pain at having a spell removed, especially one that had been on for years and interfered with day to day living was expected.

Her fists clenched she waited for a sign Lady Desdemona was doing anything she wasn't supposed to. Time stretched, it was close to five minutes in when the glow from her hand on Gourry's head brightened and then died. The woman went from kneeling to being slumped against the couch panting for air, sweat beading in her hair line. Gourry had gone limp and was clearly unconscious.

"So did you remove it?"

Lina glanced away from Gourry to Alberich as he waited for an answer from the tried woman.

"Yes. It'll take some time for him to remember everything. That spell was very intwined in his mind, I barely got rid of all of it."

The soft and sweet tones coming from the creepy woman reminded Lina she hadn't heard her voice before then. She hadn't said the spell out loud... Fear started in her gut, if this woman was involved this had been the perfect moment to get rid of Gourry as a playing piece.

"Do you think you would know the caster if you felt them cast a spell?"

King Fabien had asked that one. Clever old fox, didn't help us much if she cast it herself. Lina kept her mouth shut, if this woman pointed the finger at her that would mean without a doubt she was in on the plot if not behind it.

"No doubt, that was one of the strongest pieces of magic I've ever seen."

Lina readied herself, she could call the Ragna Blade, if she had to she'd use it on the woman. But first she needed to do something small. She knew what everyone was expecting, they thought she'd run with Ray Wing. "Lighting."

The light was rather dim in the daylight filled the room. But right away the woman was shaking her head. "Wasn't her, couldn't have been her."

Lina felt staggered, Lady Desdemona wasn't involved? She would have been perfect for it, Aella as a spy, noble but not royalty... Strong magical power, probably around Sylphiel's level, she had aged very gracefully... Power was always a motive. But if it had been her she would have pointed the finger of blame at her. Why would you not take the change to get rid of a mage who would work against you?

Lina let all that run in circles in her head while the rest of the room looked surprised and relaxed. Aella spoke asking after Gourry. "Mother how is he? When is he going to wake up?"

Lady Desdemona Rey looked at her concerned daughter with soft eyes. "Aella I'm afraid it'll be morning before he'll be up for company. He will likely be awake in an hour or two but he will have a most dreadful headache at the very least and likely would not be up to seeing anyone."

"In that case I'll have my brother moved back to his room for the rest of the day." Gerard stood, turned and exited the room likely to issue said orders.

"Yes. Well. You have done this family a great service Lady Desdemona." Alberich bowed deeply in time with his words.

Lina could gather from frown pulling at the corners of his mouth he was most displeased things hadn't been neatly tied up with her being the one who'd enchanted Gourry. But she was almost as unhappy to find for now at least, Lady Desdemona Rey wasn't behind everything going on.

"I suspect Lady Rey you would like to rest and recover in your rooms till dinner?" Fabien made it less of a question and more of statement.

Lina suddenly guessed Fabien and this woman had history, a long one.

Having gathered herself the woman stood and made a perfectly respectable but somehow sarcastic curtsy to Fabien. "You would be correct your Majesty."

It probably wasn't a very good history.

Lady Desdemona left the room and not a split second later Gerard came back in with three man servants to haul Gourry out and to his room. Lina was betting the third was to open doors. They left Aella trailing behind them, that was Hubert, Callie and Cecilia left. Lina had taken a step forward intending to follow but look from Gerard stopped her. She realized rather quickly this was when the royal family decided as whole if she was going to be allowed to hang around or not.

Deciding she needed to sit down for this Lina went over to the chair near the couch Gourry had just vacated.

Alberich started off. "You said yesterday you wanted to stay and find out who had cast the spell on Gourry."

Lina nodded.

Gerard stepped in. "So since Lady Rey didn't believe you had cast the spell altering Gourry's memories what are your theories regarding his memory loss?"

She thought about lying but decided to be honest, up to a point. "I suppose this is when I should mention one of things I have discovered since arriving here in the castle. When I was tossed in the Mage Cage I took ten minutes because a conversation with a monster known to me took up a minute or two."

Rather then the explosion she half expected she got stone cold silence.

Then to her surprise Elicia spoke up. "How is this 'monster' known to you?"

The cold tone she used for the word monster lead Lina to believe at some point or another Elicia had been around one. "I traveled with him for a time, at first I didn't know what he was. Then it was because his orders were to protect me while allowing me to mess up another monster's plans. In the end I killed both of the opposing monsters and he left amused at the chaos I tend to leave in my wake. I then encountered him after the barrier went down, he helped us save the world. The next time we met he was sort of working for a bad guy but at the same time he spent more time annoying me or helping us in the long run. Anyway the point is he's here, and warned me flat out to leave. He's never done that before. It leads me to believe however Gourry lost his memories it's much bigger then that."

"What is his name?"

Elicia really was after something here.

"Xellos."

The deadly glint that appeared once again said not only had the slightly older woman encountered a monster, she had a skill set not normally required to be a royal wife. Lina leaned sideways and rested her arm on the chair arm so she leaned on her hand. "So what's your story Elicia? Hum? You walk like a fighter of high class. You read people like a spy, and unless I miss my guess you think like an assassin."

The woman flushed but the guilty shift looked rehearsed. The rest of the family's lack of reactions was more telling. Lina sat deeper into the chair, she was amused by the annoyed looks appearing as everyone there read her face and realized she thought she had figured something out. She started talking letting her thought form out loud while she watched for more signals.

"So ten years back probably, your family... Let's say elite mercenaries..." Lina noticed Selvin twitch. "No, loyal but elite born and raised guards. Killed. And the one surviving member hid knowing only two things. A name. And the fact her family knew too much."

Elicia could have been made of stone, but Alberich was the one now looking upset.

"Six or so years later she's had more training and wants revenge. It took time but she found out from the Crowned Prince he didn't believe his father or uncle was behind it."

Everyone was looking annoyed now. Except Selvin.

"Disappearing she did more digging and finally figured who ever was behind it, it wasn't the royal family. Her information given to the Commander of the Royal Army lead him to believe there was a chance his brother's disappearance wasn't as pat as previously thought. A few more years go by, a bit more information comes to light making them believe there is a slow moving plot for throne. The search for the missing prince is finally allowed, bringing us here."

Fabien snorted loudly, breaking the silence her story had left in the room. "That's a nice bit of make-believe."

Lina looked over the room, maybe some of the details were off but the gist was true. It was possible Fabien hadn't realized what sort of training Elicia had but he knew some of it. "I don't need to know details, but Elicia is a trained killer, this plot goes back at least ten years, and Gourry has been missing six years with his memory having been tampered with. It would be very easy to see someone sending Xellos to kill off a family with a history for being useful to crown. Xellos would have no trouble doing it either. It also fits with my theory as to why Gourry disappeared with the sword."

"And that is?" Alberich asked grumpily.

"Gourry was going to marry Aella and become the 'Knight' of the royal family. He instead took the Sword of Light and disappeared. I believe he found out someone, a powerful someone was working against the family. He left intending to duel them and bring back proof. They instead made him forget, realizing he was in trouble if he stayed, even if he didn't know why. He fled. On the way forgetting more and more until he became the idiot I met."

"Why didn't they just kill him?"

Gerard was very blunt about that, but she had no intention of sharing the idea Gourry had found a transport spell, or that he could use such magic if they didn't know. Someone in this room was very likely in on it. "That I don't know yet."

Most of the room stared at her like they couldn't believe her, but she could offer a logical sounding reason to be unsure. "Well it could be as simple as he got away, how I have no clue. He should have been very confused after being hit with that spell. Another one might be they thought if he was alive and running around missing his memory that would lead to people spending more time on that then looking for the culprit. Another might be as simple as whoever it was planned on marrying him as an idiot after killing off everyone else in the royal family. There are so many reasons I can come up with I simply don't have enough information to know which one is the correct reason."

That was true enough, even if she didn't believe any of the ones she listed she had no proof there was a spell for transporting yourself away. But her listed ideas had the room nodding, she had convinced them for now. Standing she spoke to the room, "As I've told people until I know who and why Gourry lost his memory I'm not leaving. Now unless there are any other questions I have every intent on going back to my reading."

She didn't mention that probably wouldn't be till much later. First she was going to check that Gourry's room was being guarded, then she was going to ask around trying to learn more about Desdemona or other nobles close to the family. Then before bed she would relax reading the book.

Fabien frowned at her, but waved her away clearly intending on having a family meeting about these new events. Except Callie, and Cecilia weren't in attendance. That could mean a couple of things.

By that afternoon Lina had learned only a few things: One. She was no longer under guard. Two. Like she'd expected there were some old nasty and very messy rumors about Desdemona's relationship with Fabien. Three. Only the older staff remembered the stories going around the time of the old king's public hunt for a wife. And three and half: Before the hunt went public one of the few facts she'd gleaned was that Desdemona was the woman he had been courting. Four. Was that Fabien had liked her even then.

So all she had for evidence was a messy backstory and to be honest that was no proof that Desdemona, who's daughter was all set to marry into the family, was in on the plot.

Ready to maybe go and start reading her book sooner then she'd expected, she was surprised when someone called her name.

"Ms. Lina!"

Turning around she found a man with dark blond hair and servant's uniform walking towards her. "Yes?"

"Prince Gourry is awake now and wants to see you."

Lina ignored the leap of her pulse. She was a bit surprised, Desdemona had figured he wouldn't want to see anyone. The half formed fantasies were just that, fantasy. He probably was going to tell her who cast the spell or that he didn't remember yet. "Lead the way."

He nodded, and lead her up to Gourry's room, the two guards she had seen earlier were still there. But a younger man with soft red hair was leaving with a tray and a large empty bowl. Gourry had eaten something then. He'd probably been awake most of an hour in that case. The man knocked on the door and she heard Gourry say come in.

The man opened the door and entered, she followed him in and was glad to see Gourry sitting on his couch but that was when the changes she feared struck her. He was sitting straighter, less relaxed, the set of his features was different. As she feared the innocence that had always been in his face was gone. But despite the furrow between his eyebrows and the squint that seemed to support him having a headache he was glad to see her.

"Hey Lina."

"How you feeling Gourry?"

"Good enough."

The servant glanced at her like he was annoyed at her for her informal address, but he answered readily enough when Gourry spoke to him.

"Saul thanks for finding Lina."

The man, Saul bowed deeply and stood straight. But he made no move to leave the room. Gourry seemed to have realized the same thing.

"That will be all."

"Prince..."

Gourry scowled. "Out Saul, she's a friend and I need to tell her a few things."

The man bit back a frown but left, Lina decided to try to move past her uncertainty. "So how is not being a squid brain?"

Gourry made a face but couldn't stop the snicker. He opened his mouth and then laughed again. Glad that this smarter Gourry wasn't mad at her she flopped down on the chair across from him.

"I have to say in hindsight that is a very apt description. It's difficult to describe but this.. the memory spell seemed to have cut part of me away. The knowledge I have of magic, and history was gone. With them a large portion of... I don't know. me. I remember this stuff and I know why and how I did what I did but at the same time knowing what I know now it's laughable."

Lina hoped he wasn't laughing at her. "Like what?"

He looked thoughtful, and not the forced slightly confused look his face had always had prior, just thoughtful. "How about the time I realized how old Xellos was?"

Just that was reason enough for her to start snickering. That had been hysterical. A funny moment in between terrifying moments of fighting for their lives. And just before he was kidnapped. A chill crept down her spine. He hadn't remembered anything about while he had been kidnapped... had he? "You haven't remembered anything else about the time Phibrizzo had you, have you?"

He looked at her, clearly wondering if there was something he should be remembering. "No."

Dismissing that worry she focused on the more present one. "So I'm guessing you still don't remember who or how this spell was cast on you."

Gourry nodded grudgingly. "You would be correct. I seem to be missing a year and half, I remember the formal relationship with Aella being put forth then it's blank till a little before I met you."

"So you don't remember how you met Sylphiel?"

Gourry frowned, he seemed to be thinking over the timeline of where he should have been when. "No I don't. Why does that matter?"

Lina was glad even if he was smarter she still could explain things to him. "As I understand whoever cast this spell on you should have then had the perfect opportunity to do whatever the heck they wanted to do to you. If you weren't unconscious you weren't going to be able to focus enough to fight them off. So why didn't they kill you?"

Gourry was thinking and like he had even when he was stupid he could follow her line of inquiry. "You think I used a spell to get away. I ended up in Sairaag unconscious and when I woke with no clue as to how I got there, I thought I ran away with the sword."

Lina nodded, it was rather impressive even if he was more then he had been mentally he was treating her much the same. Maybe dumb Gourry had been right last night, this had just made him more of himself.

"Where would I have found a spell like that?"

Lina gave him a dry look. "Claire Bible Manuscript."

Gourry closed his eyes, and groaned. "And if thats the case with Xellos being in on this the odds are good he's destroyed it."

"Yep." Lina made the p pop to express some of the frustration she was feeling.

Gourry looked at her seeming startled out of his thoughts before he realized, "Hey I never told you I could cast..."

Lina snickered and felt a wicked grin spread across her face. "I've known you could be a powerful magic user since the moment I realized how good you were with the Sword of Light. The only thing you were missing was the memory. Now that you have that... Just one question. Who did you learn from?"

Gourry gave her a strange look.

"What? Your family doesn't seem to know which means it wasn't a normal tudor."

Gourry nodded. "In that case I learned from my great-great-grandfather's elf friend."

Lina blinked slowly. "You learned from Mellyroon?"

Now Gourry was blinking slowly. "How did you know that?"

"I never told you about my adventure on Mipross island. Long story short: I met your great-great-grandfather because he used me to fix the deaths of the elves on Mipross Island saving Mellyroon, I saw him with the Sword of Light and used some magic to help him out. Then things changed and me and Naga were the only ones who remembered differently."

Gourry looked thoughtful. "That could explain her fondness for traveling Sorceresses. She knew I could cast spells if I wanted to learn and I figured a mix of skills is always a good thing to have. It was coming back to the castle after leaving her I met Harvard."

Lina nodded. "Harvard told me he'd met you when you rescued him from some bandits." that was Lina remembered a question she had always wanted to ask but had never bothered since Gourry wouldn't be able to answer. "Who was the Legendary Swordsman Of Light?"

Gourry raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Lina scowled at him. "Really. I want to know. All the research I've done only tells me 'he' really was a she."

"Well that part's true, she was great friends with a dragon..." Gourry paused. "Lina you do realize most of what I know is bed time stories told to me by my grandmother and older sister right?"

Lina shrugged. "I only really want to know her name."

"Well for one she's my great-great-great grandmother. In other words Rowdy's mother and her name is Erika Gabriev."

"Erika hun? Thats a pretty cool name."

Gourry bobbed his head in agreement. "Now about the more current problems, aside from Xellos showing up what exactly have you learned while I've being 'protected' from you?"

Lina shrugged. "Lots of tiny pieces but no clear picture yet. I just have a bad feeling whoever we're up against is going to keep it that way as long as possible. Oh I don't think I told you all of what Xellos said. He taunted me about being locked up, then he asked where you were and was surprised to find out you're actually the 'missing' prince. But he gave me a chance to run. You know he's never done that before."

Gourry looked grim. "That's not good news."

"No. No it's not. But we know something else from that, whatever Xellos' part is it's not been keeping eyes on the Royal family or he would have known about you. This plot from everything I've learn goes back more then ten years."

"How do you know that?"

"Your new sister in law. Elicia, former assassin. Probably. She had been trained as an elite guard for the royal family, she was a young teenager when her family was wiped out by Xellos. Only knowing it had something to with the royal family she got some more training, kidnapped your eldest brother - unless I miss my guess. Found out enough from him to realize the royal family hadn't sent the monster. With that I think she found out a little more. Came back to the castle told Gerard all she knew, and that was why he started poking around looking for you."

Lina thought for a moment. "Oh and at some point the two of them fell in love and got married."

Gourry blinked at her. "You amaze me. You call that not much?"

Lina shrugged. "Guess work, a little bit of gossip and the fact Elicia scared the crap out of me when I first saw her walk in. It was like looking at Zuuma again."

"Okay then I have to ask, who do you think is really behind all this?"

Lina hesitated, this was Gourry. Her partner. Her protector. But this was his family. And it was his life on line. "Are you sure?"

Gourry's face went from the open but more intelligence expression to a stiffer and colder one. "I need to know. Whether I want to or not doesn't matter."

"I have three guesses. A. Gerard would seem to have the most to gain. B. your sister is for whatever reason under a lot of stress. C. the one I'm most inclined to point the finger at is the woman who took the spell off you."

Gourry's face remained closed and guarded as he processed that. He then said nothing about his siblings and focused on the mother of his bride to be. "Lady Desdemona Rey. White witch... But to remove a spell you have to be able to cast the spell. Or at least be familiar with the theory. When she took it off... she didn't accuse you after removing the spell."

"Yes and that does buy her some credibility with me. But I have to ask; are you sure she just removed the spell and didn't alter it? If she cast on a battlefield setting it would have been rushed and if you left halfway through, unfinished. Here in front of your whole family she never said one word of the chant out loud. You still don't remember who cast it or any of the clues that lead you there. Besides if she's been planning this for more then ten years she must be very close to taking the throne. Why point the finger at me when she could keep me close to keep an eye on?"

"Those are valid points.

Lina opened her mouth to keep arguing for it being Desdemona but the door opening distracted both of them.

Saul poked his head concern on his face. "Prince Gourry I hate to interrupt but you need your rest and it's been most of hour."

Lina blinked and looked at the small clock, it had been most of hour she'd been talking to Gourry. She looked back at him and despite the closed expression he was pain and not sitting as straight as he had been when she first entered. She had forgotten he was still recovering. She stood and Gourry protested. "Lina we aren't done talking."

She rolled her eyes him. "I know that idiot but you're pale, still recovering and I still have no proof. We can always talk about it more tomorrow or when I actually have proof."

Ignoring Saul's gasp at her calling Gourry an idiot, which he still was. She walked out intending to go back to fact finding. If not learning more dark secrets about the politics of the kingdom then trying to find out if it was possible like Gourry the Claire Bible Manuscript had been something Xellos failed to notice.

It was only half way down the hall she realized someone was staring at her, looking around she found Aella staring at her in a shocked but angry manner. That was enough to make her look back and realize it was clear there was only one place she could have come from. Before Lina could think of anything to say the girl glared at her before running away.

**Next Day**

Lina barely stopped the angry shriek. She couldn't do anything today without being interrupted! First it was breakfast, leaving before she had more then a second plate she had ended up talking to Al for most of an hour. When she went back breakfast was over. Going to the kitchens to beg for some food to hold her off till lunch she had run into Desdemona - who had heard she'd been in Saillune more recently then the lady had, so Desdemona had kept her busy for another hour. Then reaching the kitchen she was given scraps and told lunch would be in an hour. Deciding to look about the library she was held up by people who thought that because she had talked to them yesterday meant she wanted to talk to them now. Held up long enough she knew she'd only have a few minutes in the library before needing to leave so she could get to lunch she turned around and managed to get there and have firsts, seconds and was even working on thirds when someone cough - Aella - cough interrupted her.

First accusing her of being, Lina did her best to blot the word the girl had actually used out of her mind, involved with Gourry. Then it had been she took advantage of Gourry, and then it had just become a rant degrading her character and pretty much everyone who was ever friends with her save Gourry.

Surprisingly Cecilia rescued her before Lina had recovered from the shock enough to get angry.

Dragging the raging girl away Cecilia had called back to her and apologized.

Stunned, embarrassed she had sat there for a minute before it occurred to her; Fabien, Desdemona, Al, Gerard, Selvin, Elicia, the guards and anyone within a hundred feet had heard Aella's rant. She had stood and announced she wasn't hungry anymore, walking out she had passed Gourry who had called after her. She had to admit running away from him probably hadn't been the smart thing to do, everyone in the dinning room would have heard him calling after her.

Then having calmed down in a small sitting room done up in light minty colors she had planned on going to the kitchens for a small snack only to run into little Princess Adelaide who had decided to run away from the nurse in charge of her. It took a frustrating two hours to get the little girl in a good enough mood to stop pestering her. But she had to admit that girl was going to be dangerous in a few years, clever, good at hiding, and a excellent eavesdropper the girl knew far more then she should at six going on seven. Not to mention with her mother's hair and her father's eyes she was already terribly cute.

Rid of the child she had gotten a snack from the kitchen and gone to library where just when she had found something to read someone interrupted her again.

Turning she glared at the dark haired man, he blinked at her slightly confused. "What?"

"I understand Ms. Inverse yesterday you were asking questions about Lady Desdemona."

Lina felt some of the anger drain away, she might learn something new. "Yes I was." She slowly climbed down the ladder she had been on, reaching the floor she noticed the conflicted look on the man's face about the same time she realized he was much older then she thought. He had to be about the same age as the dead king. Almost sixty... probably.

He stared at her closely. And seemed to have decided something. "Why do you want to know?"

Leading the way to some chairs she considered her answer. "I want to know who might want to take over the throne, I want to know who cast the spell on Gourry and I bet the answer is in the past. Lady Desdemona is the one outside of the family... I suppose I want to understand the history of the family to look for motives. You almost always need to start close to the family, especially when Royalty is involved."

The man took the nearest chair and sighed heavily. "Thats about the answer I was expecting, the way things have been in the castle the years Prince Gourry was missing... I think everyone knew something was wrong but didn't know where to start."

Lina sat in her chair and looked closer at the man, they were sitting in better light now and she could see the hair that had seemed so dark in the shadows was really a deep gray, not silver but gray none the less.

"I'll tell you what I know: Lady Desdemona was introduced to King Royce and his brother Fabien when she was fifteen. The families were hoping Royce would fall for her, but Fabien was the one paid her the most attention. When she turnned twenty Royce flat out refused to marry her, his family arranged the month long ball and he found Queen Blanche. Now that Royce was married everyone hoped Fabien would marry Desdemona, but for reasons never explained to anyone the king's brother refused to marry her. She left the castle and at twenty one married Lord Rey by all accounts I've heard the two of them really were in love. She had a child, a boy and then a few years later disaster struck. Her husband and her son died. It was in a sickness that swept land and despite the fact it was treatable only a few doctors knew how to treat it. So the Lady's family died because while rich and nobles, they weren't as high ranked as others. If help had arrived but a day earlier they would have been saved. Or at least thats the way I heard it."

The man took a deep breath, Lina wondered who he was. He wasn't dressed like a servant, but he wasn't dressed like a noble either.

"The Lady went mad with grief for a year. When she came to herself she morned but was able to heal. She began to study light magic then. She stayed far from the capital for seven years, and when she came back her and Fabien by all rumors started seeing each other again. Over the next five years she came to the castle on and off, soon she brought a little girl, Lady Aella. The real puzzle is no one knows who her father is, most think Aella's really a year younger then the Lady claims but Fabien has never laid claim to her and there is no family resemblance. But that's when the rumors about the two of them became very bad. There was no witnesses to what happened between the two of them but Lady Desdemona left taking Aella with her and didn't come back till the ball where Fabien and Alberich agreed Gourry needed to show interest in a girl."

Lina took the story in, he told her a lot about Desdemona, he even gave her a sketchy motive. If she was Queen no one would ever put her second. "Thank you for telling me Mr...?

"It's Sir Karven."

"Oh so you served in the army."

"Yeah, I was Royce's best friend."

She nodded and leaned back in the chair, that explain how he knew so much and why he was dressed nicely but not richly. "Thank you Sir Karven but I have to ask why did you tell me this?"

He smirked while standing. "I was Gourry's first teacher. I could tell the moment he came back you're the reason he's become as good as he is."

Lina felt a flush crawling up her neck, damn red hair and pale skin, it always gave her away. "You're mistaken Gourry was amazing as a swordsman from the moment I met him."

Karven chuckled. "Thats not what I meant Lina."

Lina couldn't find anything to say as the man walked away, she just felt like hiding for the next year or two. First Aella shouts embarrassing accusations out in front of most the family and then Gourry's old teacher embarrassed her. What was today? Embarrass Lina Inverse day? If that was the case her sister would have shown up with pictures. She shuddered in fear at the idea. Her sister... Book. She had been going to read a book.

**All mistakes are mine Dark Shadowed Rose**


	5. Chapter 5

**What's in a Memory?**

**Disclaimer: For one I'm too young to own Slayers, and second I didn't even start watching it till it was on instant play, on Netflix. So it's not mine.**

**Chapter Five**

Lina let her spoon swirl her soup around, it was a good soup but she currently was frustrated. Nothing.

A whole week since Gourry got his memory back and she still only had a couple of the puzzle pieces. Gourry had taken the Sword of Light to confront whoever cast the memory spell. Gourry still didn't remember who that was. Desdemona still seemed like her best bet even if she still had no proof. Aella hated her guts and was madly in love with Gourry. Alberich was a really good guy. His wife Cecilia was really cool. His daughter was scary, and she hadn't met his son. Gerard still didn't like her. Selvin was still rude to her. Callie was still very stressed out. Hubert was rather big brotherly to her when they spoke. Elicia was still really sneaky, and she still didn't like her either. And last but not least her prime suspect had been politely friendly. Lady Desdemona was a hard woman to read.

Not to mention despite her belief Gourry would be in danger right away no one had made a move on him. Not even poison.

Sparring with a few of the foot soldiers had been nice, she had almost searched the whole library and found no sign of a Claire Bible.

She had about zip.

Not to mention things between her and Gourry were very awkward. That first meeting had gone so well, he'd been himself but with a clear memory. Then the next time he'd seen her, she had run away from him, then she had a feeling he'd heard about what Aella, his fiance, had said. Any time he or she tried to approach the other someone, often Aella would intercept, and if not her, someone else.

It sorta felt like a conspiracy.

But she had learned why Callie had listened to her stories and been unable to believe Gourry would be so open. He was very cold to almost everyone, polite but cold and very good at deflection. She had seen the beginning of it in his room after he'd woken up but he'd still seemed like her Gourry. But when he talked to Aella she saw the annoyance from before manifest in his lack of questions, in his lack of attention.

Until coming here she had never realized how much of his attention she'd had.

She felt for Aella, the girl loved him so much, so clearly. Sylphiel looked at him much the same way, but never reached out like this, never threw herself at him so strongly. But Gourry paid Sylphiel more attention, he had been kinder to her. Lina found herself wondering if it was because that was before he had all his memory back or if it was because the only claim Sylphiel had to him was that of friendship. Aella had a real claim.

She sorta of got the feeling this Gourry resented being unable to just speak for himself, if he said something it would be coming from the whole La-fey clan.

Lina had to admit that sounded a lot like her reason for leaving home, everyone there knew her as 'Luna's kid sister'. Out in the world she was Lina Inverse the bandit killer, enemy of all who live, so on and such forth. She liked to think she had made a place for herself in the world, but she had to admit she didn't know what she was going to do if 'Prince' Gourry wasn't coming with her.

The next course swept in and Lina watched her partial bowl of soup go away away leaving her with a a mushroom sauce covered piece of a Goose. A nice difference from last night's, that had been built around lamb. She was on her third bite of the bird, she liked how the meat was so sweet but there seemed to be something slightly off about the sauce, Delano the chief must have let one of his underling scorch the sauce slightly.

"WAIT! Everyone stop eating!"

Lina looked up from her plate to stare at Elicia, what was she so panicked about?"

"The mushrooms in the sauce are poisonous!"

Lina felt a chill creep through her veins, she had thought the sauce on the bird was off... if Elicia thought it was poisoned it probably was. But it at least answered the question she had about why no one had made a move on Gourry, they were getting ready for tonight. The guards in the room got orders to go bring everyone up that had been near the food tonight and while they did that Elicia went and checked everyone's food.

In the end the poisoned plates were hers, Gourry's, Selvin's, Elicia's, Desdemona's, Aella's and Hubert's.

It was an interesting list and Lina found herself wondering if she had leapt to conclusions too fast; maybe Desdemona wasn't behind it, aside from her and Gourry, Desdemona had eaten the most goose. Why would she do that if she was behind it being poisoned? And it was clearly targeted. The poison wasn't on everyone's plates. The fact was half the list was magic users, even if she kept Gourry's name off the list. Elicia as it turned out had a small magical gift and as such knew a healing purification spell that worked on this type of poison.

Lina felt her small body mass working against her, even with the spell the poison left her feeling weakened, so she stayed out of it when Fabien and Gerard questioned everyone. It had been an hour of interrogation when everyone realized there was no prime suspect. That was when Lina put forth the idea she had been mulling over in her head. "It was probably Xellos, the only question is how did he know who's plate was who's?"

Kara's best friend, who's name she had never caught spoke up. "There's a system in the kitchen, the way plates are put out tells us who's is who's, we do that because people have allergies or things they dislike."

Lina knew she spoke for all of the when she said; "There goes that mystery. Now the question is... actually that's not a question either. It explains why no one's made a move to get rid of Gourry before now."

They all shared grim looks.

**Next Day**

Lina had to say, of her few encounters with poison this was the worst. Only three bites, a healing spell and she still felt hung over the next day. And it was only this morning that it had occurred the other connection the seven of them shared was; relatively speaking, on the playing board, all of them were new to the game, all of them could be game changers. But she didn't need to share that one.

Heading to the library after breakfast she intended to grab another book and curl up for the rest of the day, she felt far too sick to head out to the market like she had planned. Climbing a ladder she struggled with the heavy tome she wanted to read, feeling dizzy she started to wobble and rather quickly the book's weight pulled her further off balance. Teetering she dropped the book and feeling herself falling off the ladder, Lina twisted while trying to cast Levitation.

Instead she fell on top of the surprised Prince Selvin.

**Selvin**

He was in the library for two reasons he wanted to learn more attack spells and more about restraining magic, _Lina_ had been able to break out of anything he'd cast, his teacher couldn't do that. And he figured he had third reason; after all he wanted to hide from the world for a moment or two. Callie was so angry at Hubert she was a dragon at the moment. Gourry was running away from Aella. Gerard, Al and Uncle Fabien were working on finding ways to protect everyone after last night.

Walking through the library he was surprised when to his right a book fell, looking up he had a moment to realize Lina was falling off the ladder and then she hit him. His chin throbbing because her forehead had hit it, he couldn't seem to breath either. Without thinking he just did his best to shove her off him.

Drawing in a deep breath he realized the parts of her he was touching happened to be her chest. Looking at her he saw the bright red of her face and knew this wouldn't be pretty. Yanking his hands away he knew it was several seconds too late, she had to have felt the questioning squeezing of his hands when he hadn't understood what he was touching. Blushing furiously he tried to stutter out an apology but the clench of her fists was all too clear.

Scrambling to get up he couldn't help staring at the chest he'd just had his hands on. They looked so small but they had been handfuls, and soft. Still trying to get to his feet Selvin heard the muttered: "Fireball."

He had half a second to scream before the fire washed over him.

**Lina**

Her arms crossed over her sore chest she glared at the smoking prince on the floor of the library. She was still sitting like he'd dumped her, her book on the floor to her left. Lina contemplated a second fireball. He had squeezed her chest, touching hadn't been enough for him. No he'd squeezed. Anger had burned away the dizziness that had made her fall, but her head hurt too.

She was starting to wonder if she wasn't allergic to the poison, she was the only one still feeling ill.

But at the moment she was angry. Selvin had grabbed her breasts, abused them... Lina stared for a moment and then burst out laughing. She had burned most of his hair off: It was about five inches long and crispy. So it was standing straight up. Gourry must be studier then his brother.

Giggling she went to get up only to get dizzy again. Sitting back down hard on the floor, Lina realized something was still wrong with her. Seeing the servant poking his head about the corner of the last shelf she called out to him, "Go get me Lady Elicia and one of the other princes."

The man nodded and ran back out. That was when Selvin woke back up, he really was a lot wimpyier then Gourry, she'd never knocked him properly out and she'd hit him with stronger spells.

"owww."

"Serves you right. That hurt."

He looked over at her his expression still dazed. "But you're the one who fell on me..."

"Yeah well I couldn't help that."

He frowned at her, his expression still a bit spacy. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm pretty sure I either got a much bigger dose of poison or I enjoyed a second type last night."

He pushed himself up to a sitting position. "Are you saying you're poisoned?"

"Yeah."

He actually looked alarmed now, but she was feeling worse, her mouth was dry even though earlier she had been almost drooling... sick to her stomach, drooling and now feeling thirsty, dizzy her head and her stomach hurt... what plants in the garden could have done this? How had she been poisoned? Trying to think she was mildly surprised when Gerard and Elicia walked in.

Both of them looked annoyed seeing the charred spot and the slightly crispy prince.

"Lina I'm sure my brother did something worthy of bring fire-balled but not in the Library. Further more I have no clue as to why you called for us." Gerard barked his words out the way that made her think he really wanted to bark orders out at her

Aware she was getting worse as she was seeing two Prince Gerards she answered him, "I sent someone to get you because I'm still poisoned, with what I don't know, how or when either but I'm betting my food had a second poison in it. I haven't felt well since last night."

The two of them came closer and Elicia started asking her questions at a quick pace.

Getting the gist she did her best to answer in spite of the fact she was feeling like she was going to pass out any second, if she did they needed to know this. "I'm sick to my stomach, my first symptom was a headache that's getting worse, I have gone from almost drooling to having a dry mouth and now I'm dizzy."

Elicia said something and Lina knew it was a name of a type of plant poison, it was one she was sure she'd know if her ears weren't covered and the room wasn't spinning. And she shouldn't have done the fireball, now the room was unbearably hot. Darkness replaced the blur of colors and she found herself glad the pain was going away.

When she woke up she was pleasantly surprise to find aside from a lingering headache and being achy she felt much better. Of course as it was getting dark she could gather she had been out for at least eight hours, possibly even a day, she doubted that because while she needed to use a bathroom she wasn't going to burst. Slowly sitting up she was surprised when she saw a blonde head on her couch across the from bed. But because the back of the couch was to the bed she couldn't be positive, but she was pretty Gourry was on her couch and he'd fallen asleep. Listening for a moment she knew whoever it was, was asleep, a soft feeling in her chest she stealthy climbed from her bed.

A moment of weakness made her grab the bed to steady herself, but no dizziness. Now that her head was clear she was almost positive she'd been poisoned with something of Darkbar plants. Callie had shown her that the palace garden's had three of the plants, Purple Darkbar, the one who's leaves were used for some very rare and expensive medicines. Black Darkbar the berries were poisonous but the leaves when used in large quantities could be almost as bad, the plants were too valuable because they could help with a type of blood infection. Last was Blue Darkbar, that was the most likely of the three since as little as one berry had been known to kill, but the berries when mixed with Helmskelt became the most powerful painkiller/sedative known. Admittedly if given more then a dose in a day it could be come cause of death but when one would die anyway it was a mercy. The stories said the berries when eaten fresh tasted sweet and if someone had juiced the berries she wouldn't have noticed it in her wine.

Holding in a sigh she counted herself lucky, that could have killed her. That in all honesty should have killed her. It was a slow poison, when it had been used in a assassinations it had been said it could take up to two days before full effects were felt. She was very lucky, she had only been missing the delusions. Once those started it was far too late to try to purge the body, you had three hours of hell and then you were dead. Or so the stories went.

The reason it wasn't used more often was the amount needed to kill was horrible variable from person to person. A child had died eating a single berry but his friend who'd also eaten one lived. People had been dosed and lived, and some had been dosed and died. One thing was fact, if you became delusional you died. Those ravings were often what lead to the diagnosis, but by then it was too late.

Lina couldn't deny she felt a little afraid, she had been too close to death. She wondered just a bit if the mushrooms weren't a false trail and the real murder attempt hadn't been her glass. But it made sense if both had been real, if the mushrooms worked, everyone in the way was dead, it worked much quicker then many poisons, after eating them you had half an hour to get something to counteract it or you were dead in another hour.

But this had been something meant to kick in at night after she'd gone to bed, this was something meant to buy time for the poisoner to cover their tracks. It left her no clues to who had done either thing, the fact it was... it was probably just her cup poisoned. She was left a bit confused. Was it the same person deciding she was the only one they really needed rid of, or was it two different people with two different reasons?

Shaking her head she knew she needed to go the bathroom. Wobbling her way in she was glad to have her own bathroom and as she was washing her hands she realized she felt sticky. Probably from the fever, another common side effect. Wishing someone were up so she could talk to them she poured some water, took a washcloth and rinsed herself off. To her good fortune someone had brought her clothes into the bathroom so she could get dressed to go find some dinner. Walking out of the bathroom she was startled to find Gourry awake and staring at her from where he was sitting on the floor leaning against the back of the couch.

Glad she had stifled her urge to jump she waited for him to say something, after a minute had gone by she got impatient. "What?"

Gourry's jaw moved like he was gritting his teeth, then with the cool detachment she had seen him use around the castle he pushed whatever he wanted say aside and asked: "So, how are you feeling?"

Lina didn't bother letting her uncertainty with the new Gourry stop her. She snorted at him. "Say what you mean Gourry."

His right eyebrow twitched and his face settled into grim lines, kinda like the time she had faked having no magic and falling but darker. Maybe it was because he felt guilty, or because his emotions could swing further with all his mental potential unleashed.

"You do realize you were just poisoned?"

"Well, duh. I'm the one who figured it out and asked for help." Lina knew what he really meant, he was feeling guilty.

He gritted his teeth and then stopping thinking about how to be tactful. "You can't just brush it off like this! This is serious!"

She couldn't help but laugh at him. "Of course it is. You're a prince and this was because I'm threat."

He stood quickly and she realized not only was he feeling guilty but he was trying to express his concern. She had just made light of her close call and that upset him. "Gourry... look I know that was a close one. But Xellos is here and on the other side, I full expect your family will be lucky if I only burn down the castle, Xellos knows how dangerous I can be. Of course he'd..."

Gourry cut her off his eyes flashing with anger. "Don't brush me off Lina, I'm not the same idiot. I can guess as well as you can that there were two poisoners and odds are good at least one is a family member or Aella, or even her mother. Xellos would fight you face to face just watch the light die from your eyes!"

Lina sighed. Gourry was right; trying to put him off with false clues was wrong. She was still tired, but she also was hungry. Running a hand over her face she stifled a groan. Uncovering her face she met Gourry's gaze. The anger had died away but they were still dark blue, a sure sign he was still upset. The weak feminine place inside her wanted to show weakness and hug him, cry about how afraid she had been when she realized there was a second poison. But unwillingly or not he had a fiance and he was still a prince.

"Look Gourry I want to eat something and go back to bed. Tomorrow I'll worry about who was behind it and why. I also plan on going to the market, see if I can't chase some rumors up. I'm fine, you can go to bed, get some sleep to be up and ready in the morning for princely things."

She waited and the silence started to unnerve her, the idiot Gourry was pretty bad about being quiet like this, this intense silence was something new and it was nerve racking. He broke the stand-still by stepping forward, walking close enough to touch her, he ran a hand through her hair. Lina had to admit she was afraid of saying something, afraid of saying the wrong thing. But the soothing touch calmed her, and probably him, that was why he was doing it after all.

Ignoring the sound of her heart pounding away in her chest she was both relieved and disappointed when Gourry turned away saying he'd go to the kitchens with her. Scolding herself silently for even considering kissing him she followed him out into the hallways and towards the kitchen.

**Next Day**

Lina couldn't help but snicker every time she looked up and saw Selvin's hair, she had remembered it being shorter after she'd fire balled him but he'd trimmed it even shorter after she'd passed out. Now not more then three-ish inches long it stuck out from his head in a childish way. Not to mention he kept touching it, like he couldn't understand what was on his head.

Callie had caught her before going into the room and asked why she'd done it, when she explained Callie had almost fallen to the floor she was laughing so hard. Needless to say just when Lina thought she could calm down, Callie would catch her eye and smirk at her.

Kara had given her a big hug last night when her and Gourry had gone to the kitchen, they'd eaten leftovers and some breakfast things. Lina had been amused by Gerard giving her a stern look when he caught her chuckling at Selvin's sour look, apparently Selvin wasn't the only one to think it looked undignified. Standing up Lina was annoyed when both Al and Gerard followed her out. She wasn't surprised though. Of course they'd want to talk about the method of the second poison.

"Lina, this way."

Following Alberich she found herself back in the office she'd found Adelaide hiding in. Alberich sat down behind a desk and she realized that was because it was Al's office. Ignoring that she flopped down casually across from him, Gerard choosing to stay standing.

Gerard barked out the first question, "How do you think that second poison was introduced into your body?"

Leaning into her hand she answered with a drawling tone. "In my wine of course, Darkbar berries are sweet and I wouldn't notice that in a my cup. It's a rather traditional method."

Alberich pursed his lips and asked carefully, "Who do you think is behind it?"

"For that matter why only you?" Gerard added.

Lina leaned back, and thought about how to phrase it. "I'm of two minds about this. Either two different people for two different reasons did the poisoning or the first with the mushrooms was a decoy. If the mushrooms worked good for them but I find it more likely that's a smoke screen for something else. Be it my poisoned cup or just as something for us to chase down while whoever is behind it does something to further their plan."

Alberich smirked at her. "That didn't answer either question."

She smirked back at him but continued to think over how to tactful inform him of the people she found suspicious. Letting her face set into more serious lines she leaned forward. "Strictly speaking Gerard would make a likely plotter. Saillune's record speaks for commonality of family betrayers. But honestly I don't see it. Callie however seems very stressed, and I get she's not happy with Hubert, I get she's having trouble planning a wedding but something beyond that seems wrong. That said I don't think she could have been planning this for ten years, or be behind Gourry loosing his memory. Aella would have a lot of reason to poison me but again I don't see her being behind the bigger picture, maybe a pawn but not much more. Desdemona however seems to me to be the best person for it but the pieces still don't fit, so unless your uncle is really the man behind it all I have no clue."

Alberich seemed to have followed what she was talking about and while Gerard had glared at her for mentioning she'd considered him, he didn't really seem angry.

"So unless you want to know anything else I want to go to the market."

Alberich shook his head and Gerard grunted, taking that as permission to go she went.

Her money in her coin purse she set out and for the first time in eleven days left the castle grounds. Walking into the city she was reminded of how beautiful a city it was, it was a totally different beauty from that of Saillune's. It was just after breakfast but already the day was warm, she had forgotten how the thick castle walls kept things cooler. Maybe she'd only be out for a couple of hours rather than all day.

Drifting from one store to another she heard the normal worries of living in the city, taxes, produce supply and demand, talk of the little Princess' birthday and the upcoming wedding. But nothing about the more sinister undercurrent. She enjoyed three new and different kind of sweet rolls, baked just last night. She also discovered a new kind of meat-pie that was rolled and baked such you could take it with you for lunch. The color blue was still a theme in the décor around the city, in a small square she had rested in, the benches had beautiful blue tiling depicting the sky with light gray tiles as the clouds. She supposed the blue theme made sense, it was a cool color and in a desert you needed it.

Stopping at a small inn she had lunch, the food was excellent, their red lizard sandwich was her new favorite. They didn't even blink when she asked for ten more portions, that was when she over heard the cook asking if it was Prince Gourry, it made sense, she and Gourry shared a love of food and ate about the same amount.

Leaving the inn she was mildly surprised by how lonely she felt, it was fun to fight over food with Gourry and she hadn't done that since before they arrived in the city. Actually thinking about how fast everything had changed was depressing. Lina knew it was strange of her, but she didn't like change, actually that didn't come out right. Lots of people avoided change, they did that by staying in their little tiny homes and towns and being resistant to change, she did it by moving on before she could see things change. She also avoid it by refusing to become attached, but it hadn't worked when Naga left her and about half the time she didn't even like Naga. It wasn't going to help her when Gourry stayed in the city and married Aella.

Angry her thoughts were so down she decided the only thing she could do was shopping.

Taking a deep breath she heaved it out, taking another she did the same, then she looked around and set her sights on the first magic shop she saw. Buzzing through the magic shops she forgot her cares and picked up a couple of interesting things, a magic dagger she could strengthen and sell again, a set of diamond rings she could enchant with a new spell, and a few potions she had wanted to purchase before Selvin found them.

She was about ready to head back to the castle when a jewelry store caught her eye, in particular the ruby necklace and earring set sitting in the window. Lina walked over to it, she always liked jewelry and jewels, and precious metals, all of it was valuable. But rarely did she fall in love with a set enough to want to wear it herself. Almost all she wore had a purpose. She had to look the part of a sorceress but she wasn't going to be like Naga and just wear it for the sake of wearing it. But she was seriously considering making an exception. The silver setting for the rubies was decoratively set with small imperfect diamonds, giving it was unique look, then all of the precious stones were hanging on black satin ribbon.

Staring she knew it would look tacky with her normal clothes but she wanted it anyway.

The mirrors used to light the display made the five rubies look like they were burning, the odd diamonds flashed as she moved in and out of the light. Drooling she finally shifted her attention to the price tag. Then she moaned in disappointment. If she knew what she'd wear it with, or even when she'd wear it she would have been able to talk herself into buying it but at that price buying it for the sake of having it was... was wasteful.

Oh the agony of turning something that perfect down.

Crying to herself about not having clothes to go with it, and how if she'd worn it would have set her eyes off beautifully, she was half way back to the castle when a commotion caught her attention. A crowd was gathering and she could hear someone shouting something... a question half formed drifted into her head. It would be typical to find herself or Gourry in the middle of fight but Amelia liked to make a spectacle of herself too.

Walking closer the loud voice became clear, first she could that yes it was a girl talking, then words began to make sense rather than just being noise.

"... Villain! A man should never even think of taking a woman's purse!"

Lina closed her eyes in exasperation. It was Amelia. Sighing she began walk through the crowd, soon she was able to see Amelia in her justice pose upon a bench shouting at man who very much looked like he wanted to crawl in a hole and die. There was also a woman who looked a bit upset and very confused, the purse Amelia mentioned was on the ground between the two.

Looking through the crowd she amused by how many people were just gapping at Amelia, like they'd never seen someone stop a purse snatcher before. To be fair most of them had probably never seen someone do and stop to make a speech about too. Then her eyes caught on a hooded figure leaning on a shop wall watching Amelia. Her first that was to wonder if it was Xellos, but he never could stand Amelia's justice speeches. But if Amelia was here, could Zelgadis be here too?

Making her way slowly through the crowd she ignored Amelia's rantings about justice. She doubted the girl had changed her speech in the last year. Drawing closer to the cloaked figure she noted the height seemed right, the clothes had changed a little, the color was still sandy but the cloak seemed longer and not as worn as the clothes she'd last seen Zel in. But as the figure was wearing gloves, strange for a day as warm as this, she couldn't see his skin. Add in the cloak with the hood up and he looked most shifty.

It had to be Zel.

And since that was the case it would be fun to sneak up on him. Knowing neither he nor Amelia had seen her she edged through the crowd taking advantage of the lousy peripheral vision wearing a hood gave him then creeping along the wall she struck a pose and said. "You couldn't stop her?"

He started so bad he almost fell over, laughing she watched him recover and turned to her, eyes wide in surprise. "LINA?!"

"That's me."

Zel pulled his scarf down to uncover his mouth, then he looked from side to side. "Where's Gourry?"

Lina felt her lips turn down in scowl, he hasn't seen her in almost a year and the first thing he asks is 'where's Gourry?'

"You haven't seen me since Taforashia and the first thing you say to me is where's Gourry?!"

Zel back pedaled, "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but what are you doing here?"

Lina gave it second's thought about how to sum it up in in a sentence but realized it would be impossible. "That's a very long story. Amelia's here for the Princess' birthday and the wedding, but why are you here?"

He shrugged. "Amelia met up with me on her way here and asked for my help, I've never come to this city before so I figured I could check around see what they have in the way magic while helping Amelia out."

Lina didn't bother trying to stop the smirk, yeah like she'd believe that. She wasn't stupid, even dumb Gourry had noticed Zel's soft spot for the Princess. They didn't tease him about it because Amelia seemed to like him back and Zel wouldn't say anything until he had a human body again. Not that Amelia cared, but Zel did.

The crowd was dispersing and Amelia was walking back towards them, the crowd was mostly gone when Amelia spotted her. Lina could have done without the surprised shriek.

"MISS LINA!?"

Cringing she answered, "That's me."

Amelia looked side to side and then echoed Zelgadis. "Where's Mister Gourry?"

"URRR! Is no one happy to see me?!"

Amelia started to babble an explanation. "It's not that it's just so rare to see Mister Gourry any where but at your side. Is he okay? For that matter what are you doing here?"

Lina found herself wondering was Amelia going to think when she learned proper address for Gourry wasn't mister but Prince. Dismissing that thought for later she put them off for the moment with a vague answer. "Gourry's mostly fine, why we're here is a long story. Why are you here now? Princess Adelaide's birthday is still more than a week away."

Amelia made the sheepish face that said she didn't want to tell her.

"Oh, I see. You're here to investigate some of the rumors."

Amelia's eyes went wide but Zel wasn't surprised. "I knew if you're here something big is happening."

Lina couldn't stop the snort, Zel had no idea. "Let's go someplace more comfortable to talk this over, I want to hear everything you know or have over heard. Then I'll tell you what I know."

After moment Amelia nodded and lead the way back to the inn Zelgadis and her were staying at. In Amelia's room they made themselves comfortable and Amelia started to explain.

"Daddy's been very uneasy with the stories about Elmekia for some time, the royal family has died in questionable circumstances for the last generation. It's well known the third son disappeared six or seven years ago."

Lina winced, this was going to be interesting, at least Amelia didn't notice her expression.

"Noble families have died off as well, normal people have been known to disappear as well. Daddy sent me to see if there is something really wrong with Elmekia and the capital city Elmia before showing up for the Princess' birthday. Since arriving in the city two days ago we've heard rumors the missing prince has returned, and that things are not well in the family at all. Rumors say the Standing King is unhappy with the heir King Alberich, or that Prince Gerard will turn on his brother."

Lina felt her eyebrows go up, the city felt uneasy, but rumors that far fetched? Gerard turning on his brother was as likely as Gourry actually having purposefully stolen the sword. The uncle angle... Lina mentioned it but she didn't see that either, the main plotter was outside the family. Of that she was almost sure.

She wouldn't rule out someone in the family helping, but the main plotter wasn't blood. Maybe Hubert? If he killed Callie's elder brothers he would be in line to be king. But again she didn't see it. The only person who'd set off her wrong scale had been Desdemona.

"What do you know Lina?"

She looked up at Zelgadis, Amelia was also looking at her curiously. "Your father is right to be worried about the state of affairs in Elmia, things are very very confusing. The missing prince arrived here eleven days ago, and I have found many things that concern me. I am convinced there is a plot to take the throne that is around ten years old. Things have been moving that way for at least ten years. Xellos is here and flat out warned me off. You both know he's never bothered with a warning before."

Amelia was gapping but Zel looked like he was confused. "Why would a plotter bother taking ten years?"

Lina shrugged, it was a good question but too many things had happened to deny the plan was that old, maybe it had been refined and adjusted as time went on but things had started a decade ago. "Things have stepped up with the prince's return just the night you arrived half the royal family was almost poisoned along with myself."

Amelia spoke while Zel was trying to follow her hints along to the conclusion. "What do you mean along with you Miss Lina? You were eating with the royal family..."

Zelgadis's expression cleared. "Where's Gourry Lina?"

Lina smirked at him. "Why don't you guess?"

"My bet would be in the royal palace."

"You would be correct."

"Wait... Mister Gourry is really the missing prince?!" Amelia looked shocked.

"Got it in one, turns out someone cast a memory spell on him. I think it was incomplete when he got away and that was why he was a total idiot, but it's since been removed and he's been reunited with his fiance."

It was Zel's turn to gape and Amelia's turn to look confused. "Gourry has a fiance? Is that why he could never remember the word?"

"Got in one Amelia."

Amelia looked sympathetic. "Poor miss Lina."

"Don't pity me brat. Things are more serious then that. I was poisoned not once but twice at that dinner and because of the totally different methods of delivery I believe it was two people for two different reasons."

"How was it done?"

"The first poison, the one spotted; was Mergash Mushroom on the goose for dinner. Me, Gourry, Princess Elicia, Princess Callie, Lady Desdemona, and Prince Selvin were the only one's dosed with that one. I also got dosed with Blue Darkbar berries in my goblet of wine, however I was the only one. I realized I was poisoned yesterday when not only was I feeling ill I was getting worse. Gourry's sister-in-law Elicia saved me."

Both Amelia and Zelgadis looked serious now.

Amelia frowned. "If it's a plot for the throne why just you?"

"I don't know."

"Who do you think's behind it?" Zelgadis looked intent.

"I, honestly have no clue. If I pointed at any one it would be Lady Desdemona, but not only do I have no proof, she could have told people I cast the spell to cloud Gourry's memory and didn't, for that matter she was the one to remove the spell."

Amelia frowned. "I've heard of her, she's known for being a strong white magic caster."

Zel's brows creased as looked at the floor. "Hun. Does Gourry remember who cast the spell on him?"

"If he did this would be over. No and for that matter he's missing most of two years. He doesn't remember anything earlier then his engagement, and he doesn't remember anything until a bit before he met me."

"That's a large time gap if the spell's been removed." Zel noted out loud.

"I know several things come to mind; the first is that's the period of time the spell was really meant to suppress. 2. The spell wasn't all the way removed. 3. Lady Desdemona is the one that cast the spell in the first place and has completed what she meant to do in the first place. 4. Is what Desdemona says, give it time and it will come back."

Amelia and Zel nodded in time, it was kinda cute when she noticed them doing things like that.

Lina sighed, the sun was setting and she was expected back at the castle. "I need to go back to the castle, I suspect Gourry's already worrying since I wasn't in the castle for lunch so I can't miss dinner. What are you two going to do?"

Amelia looked at Zel and he shrugged at her, so after a long pause she spoke slowly. "I'll stay here with Mr. Zelgadis for the next week, if anything happens you'll know where to find us and we'll be able to find you if we find something out."

She nodded, it was a sound plan, Amelia didn't have a good reason just to pop up at the castle so early. Standing she smiled at both of them, "It's a relief to have you guys here, with Xellos running around not to mention the close call... it's stressful."

Both smiled at her and Amelia semi-seriously said, "You watch Mis... Prince Gourry's back."

"Count on it."

Then she left the room, climbing down the stairs thinking while walking through the now busy common room. She had expected rumors in the city but things so extreme? It didn't make sense. Unless whoever was behind it wanted to try to look the hero when the dust settled and they were ruler. Actually that made a lot of sense, if they could wait ten years building things up slowly learning about this next generation... but normally the reason people wanted to be ruler was the immediate gratification. Why did... wait. If they could overwhelm Gourry in a fight with the Sword of Light they had to be on her level. They could beat the Sword of Light, interrupt a spell with one of their own, call on someone like Xellos – they had no urge to rush for the throne. Maybe the real reason was they had taken the pledge. It was a long shot but it might just fit.

But she still had no proof and if she was right and it was outside the family... And not Desdemona - though her youth could be explained by the pledge, she had a very large pool to draw from. The entire noble class, people who maybe had lost family in the same plague Desdemona lost her family too... she was pretty sure she was never going to find them before they made the final play for the throne.

**P.s. I don't have a beta and there for all faults are mine**


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